


Lion's Mouth: Part I

by pedepaulie



Series: Lion's Mouth [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-11
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-06-26 11:43:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 78,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19767490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pedepaulie/pseuds/pedepaulie
Summary: Samia inherited her mother's intuition and empathy, and along with that comes the ability to sense magic and spirits. Her best friend Bakura has promised to protect her from the dangerous magic that took her parents from her, but when the Spirit of the Millennium Ring threatens her, he passes on the job to her new friend Yugi and the Spirit that inhabits his Millennium Puzzle. Season 1.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome! This will basically follow the series, but there may be some twists later on. I will summarize parts of episodes where I do not think my OC can add much to the story. If you think I'm doing this too much or too little, feel free to say so.
> 
> This is based on the English dub of the anime. All names will be taken from it. From what I can tell, Bakura's dub name is Bakura Ryou. Therefore I will use Bakura as his first name. I think it sounds better anyway.
> 
> The prologue takes place four years before the main story begins.

"I'm a wizard!" a boy in his mid teens declared, jumping on the couch and striking a heroic pose.

A little girl shrieked and hid behind a boy in his late teens. "Hey, Kenji, you're scaring Sakiko."

Kenji rolled his eyes and hopped off the couch. He turned to the 12-year-old girl with short black hair who was watching quietly from the side. "Come on, Samia." He shook her shoulders. "What do you want to be?"

Samia blinked several times, seeming surprised at the question. "Uh, can I be a magic cat?"

Sakiko brightened. "I like that!"

Kenji frowned. "What is a magic cat going to do against a wizard?"

"Well, I'm a magic dog, so you'll have to deal with both of us!" Raiden declared. He walked over to his sister and puffed up his chest.

"No fair!" Kenji cried. He darted forward and wrapped his arms around Sakiko. "I've got the princess. Now do your worst!"

Raiden turned to Samia and grinned. "Let's use our magic against him."

A soft smile graced Sami's lips. She nodded once. "Ok." The two of them raised their arms while Kenji pointed a finger at them, his other arm securely around the youngest girl.

" _What are you kids doing?!_ "

Samia froze in place. She thought her parents would not come back from the marker until later on that day, but their errand seemed to have taken shorter than usual. She did not dare turn to look at the owner of the voice.

" _Samia_ ," her mother said in a hard tone.

"It's not her fault," Kenji said, freeing Sakiko. "I started it."

"And I let it happen," Raiden said. "I'm in charge."

"I just wanted a magic cat," Sakiko muttered sadly.

"How many times have I told you that there is to be no magic in this house?" The woman put her hands on her hips and clicked her tongue.

The man next to her put a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, Layla," he said gently. "There just having fun."

"Magic is not fun, Susumi," Layla said, turning her disapproving look to her husband. "Someone could get hurt."

"Like who?" said Kenji.

"Like _Samia_."

Samia flinched and hid behind Raiden. She wanted to tell her mother that _she_ as the one currently causing her pain. She could feel the anger coming off of her like waves. It mixed with the fear, creating something that could be hard to curb. Her siblings emitted small wafts of fear, but they were overpowered by Layla's strong emotions.

Samia knew it was not normal to be able to sense other's emotions. It was a trait passed down in her family. Her mother had it, and her grandmother had it before she passed away. She wondered how they could get through life living through emotional events multiple times – once for themselves, and then for everyone else involved. Her mother said she had to learn how to control her 'power.' She did not feel very powerful. She thought this was a curse... especially when Layla seemed to think that it was the reason she should fear magic.

"Grandma thought Samia could handle it," Raiden spoke calmly.

Layla gave him a hard look. "Grandma is not here right now. Where did you even get the idea for such a silly game?"

"Raiden brought home cards!" Sakiko piped up.

Samia felt her mother's horror as she gazed at her oldest son. "What cards? Let me see, Raiden."

The brown-haired boy hesitated before pulling cards out of his pocket. "They're just samples," he mumbled as he held them out to Layla.

Layla's eyes narrowed as she looked over the cards. Samia could not feel any dark energy from the cards, but she could sense her mother's worry and fear. After several minutes of silence, she turned to her husband and spoke: "We need to talk, Susumi. Now." Her voice was soft, but there was something about her tone that suggested she had to be obeyed.

Susumi nodded. Then he swept his gaze over his children. "No more magic games. Put the groceries away." Then he followed his wife down the hall.

Dread filled Samia for an unknown reason. Experience, however, had told her to trust her instincts. "I – I'll be back," she said.

"Hey, don't leave us to all the work," Kenji said indignantly.

Raiden placed a hand on his shoulder. "We can do it," he said gently. He nodded at his sister. "God find out what's going on."

Samia gave her a grateful smile before turning to quietly make her way down the hall. Just as she expected, her parents' door was closed, and she could hear their voices inside. She tried not to make a sound as she leaned up against the door, her ear near the crack where the door met the wall. She forced her nervousness down so she could figure out what they were saying.

"This can't be it," Layla said in fear.

"But your senses say otherwise," Susumi said. His emotions were more under control, but they still held a hint of fear.

"Y – yes. There is something ominous about them. It's not _evil_ per se, but..." She sighed. "This is a Japanese game. My mother left Egypt so we would be safe."

"I knew your mother well, and I'm not sure it was safety she was after. I've never known her to run from danger."

"You really think this will all unfold in Japan?"

"That's a possibility. We can't know for sure that those cards mean anything."

"But I've been feeling something for awhile now. I've been trying to deny it. That's why I have to protect Samia. It can't be her. She can't be the one who will be engaged in the heart of the battle. Not now. She's not ready."

"Could she ever be ready for something like this?"

Layla's sorrow now overpowered her emotions. "I don't know, but I have to find out. I have to make sure I'm the one who goes through this, no matter what. Will you stand with me?"

"If that is what you want."

Samia's eyes widened when she heard them stand up. She tried to scamper away, but she had only just passed the door when it opened. She looked into her parents' shocked eyes and swallowed hard. They were not the only ones who needed answers. This was her chance. "Th-they're just cards, aren't they? Magic isn't real."

Layla gazed at her with sadness, compassion, and love. "Oh, Samia, I'm afraid magic is all too real. That's why I don't want you to play those games. You may think it's fun, but there are dark forces out there that could destroy you."

Now Samia's own fear clouded over the motions of her parents. "Wh-what?"

Susumi smiled grimly and nodded. "I'm afraid your mother's right. Both of you have the ability to sense magic and spirits. You can use this to protect yourself."

Samia felt a slicker of curiosity arise in her. "Spirits?" That was not a word she had heard them use before.

A mix of emotions poured from Layla, making it impossible to decipher them. "Yes," she said slowly. "You must be especially careful of spirits. There are some that would cause harm to you and those you love. There is not much you can do about evil spirits but run from them."

"What about good spirits? Don't they exist?" She doubted she would stick around a spirit long enough to find out if it was good or evil, but her sense of righteousness had gotten the better of her.

"Stay away from good spirits too," Layla said firmly. "They do exist, but they are still dangerous. There is absolutely nothing about a spirit, especially an ancient spirit, that is safe. You would do well to remember that. You are not ready to go up against any type of magic. That is why I will protect you."

"And why we're going to Egypt," Susumi added.

Samia widened her eyes. "Egypt? That's where grandma is from." Oh, how she missed her grandma. She had told her great stories of magic and fantasy, which her mother always promptly put an end to. Grandma had believed in her ability to succeed in any type of situation like no one else had. She had passed away two years earlier, and she wished she was still there.

Layla nodded. "There's something going on, and we're going to figure out what it is."

"But isn't that dangerous?" She felt her mother's fear, but her determination was stronger.

"Yes, but I would do anything to protect you and your siblings." She hesitated. "I know I just told you to stay away from danger, but you are the child and we are the parents. Sometimes love requires you to put yourself in danger so your loved ones will be safe. You'll understand someday."

Samia suddenly had the strange feeling that something terrible was going to happen. She willed her frantic heart to slow down, but it still felt like it would break through her chest. "Let me come with you!"

" _No_ ," her mother said firmly. "This is something I have to do. Raiden will take care of you here. You have nothing to worry about."

The feeling of impending doom did not leave. She _had_ to stop them. "But-"

Susumi smiled at her warmly and placed a hand on her head. "No matter what happens, Samia, stay safe. We love you."

"Listen to your intuition," said Layla. "It will not steer you wrong. Work on your special abilities. Go to those people with a pure heart, and stay away from those whom you sense danger."

Samia frowned. "I – I don't know if I can."

Her mother smiled at her. "I believe you can. No matter what, follow your heart. We'll be back from Egypt soon."

"No, don't go!" the girl cried out. She did not know why, but she did not want them to leave the country. Something was wrong.

Her parents merely smiled at her as they strode down the hall to discuss the situation with her siblings. With a sinking feeling, Samia knew there was nothing she could do to stop them. They would soon be gone.

***

Samia stood in the back during the wake and funeral services. The family was expected to sit up front, but she did not have it in her. She needed to be close to the edge so she could slip away if need be. It was not that she wanted to disrespect her parents. It was simply too difficult to feel the emotions of everyone else at the service, and it was easier to soak up emotions up front.

They hadn't even found the bodies. Samia had no idea what had happened in Egypt, and no one would tell her. The government said it was classified. She bet they did not know the truth either. She wondered if it really had something to do with magic or if it was a coincidence and an accident. Her intuition told her it was the former.

At the conclusion of the funeral, everyone was invited to bring flowers to the empty caskets at the front. Samia took this chance to bolt out of there. She was glad the service was held outside, for she could simply turn and run. She knew her parents' friends would consider her rude, but she could barely handle her own sorrow, let alone that of dozens more.

She ran through the grass until she tripped on something. She fell flat on her face, and she heard her black kimono rip. She grabbed fists full of grass as the tears poured out. She had told them not to go. Surely her mother had sensed the danger as well. Why had they left her and her siblings all alone? How was she supposed to learn to control her abilities now? How was she supposed to get through life without someone to show her how sensitivity could be a strength and not just a weakness?

"Excuse me? Are you alright?"

A quiet voice spoke to her. She would have told him to buzz off if not for the kindness and compassion she could feel coming off of him like heat. She wiped her eyes and slowly stood up, turning around to face the person who had spoke.

Standing before her was a boy about her age. He must have been at the service, for her wore a black suit with a white shirt. He had thick white hair that fell past his shoulders and brown eyes that were filled with concern. She had never seen him before, but her intuition told her she could trust him.

She shook her head. "M-my parents are gone." Fresh tears flowed down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry."

Samia sniffed. She could tell he meant it. "Who are you?"

"My name is Bakura. Our dads worked together."

"M-my name is Samia." Another tear slipped down her cheek.

She flinched in surprise when Bakura moved closer and wrapped his arms around her. It usually took her a long time to become comfortable around anyone, but she could not resist the warmth and kindness coming from him. She held onto him tightly and cried into his shoulder.

"Why did you run away?"

"I can feel other people's emotions. There was too much sadness."

"Then let me give you some happiness."

Se was shocked to feel mild joy coming from him. In the past, she had soaked up others' positive emotions to improve her mood, but no one had ever purposefully manipulated their own emotions to make her feel better. And he did not even know her. She did not doubt his intentions, though, for she could feel that he had a good heart.

Several minutes of silence passed before Bakura spoke again: "What happened to them? The bodies aren't there."

This brought on a fresh round of tears from Samia. "Th-they went to Egypt. Mom said she had to protect me from evil magic. I think it got her instead. What if it comes for me now?" She was not ready for this. Her mother had said so herself. She did not have what it took to stand up to evil magic and spirits...

"I'll protect you," Bakura said in a confident tone.

Samia blinked and looked up at his face, her vision blurred from her tears. "What?"

He smiled at her, and his face shone with determination. "I'll protect you from any magic that comes for you. I won't let any evil spirits get you."

Despite herself, a small smile crept onto her face. She did not know who this boy was or why he was vowing to protect a girl he had just met, but her intuition had told her to believe him, and the last thing her mother said to her was to trust her intuition. "Thank you."

She leaned her head against his chest and closed her eyes. Her crying ceased as peace started to fill her. She was not sure if it was from her intuition or the good feelings the boy was giving her, but she suddenly knew that, despite the recent tragedy, her future was not bleak. Everything was going to be fine.

Bakura was there.


	2. Chapter 1

Fear coursed through my body as I ran through the woods. I had never experienced such a strong emotion in my life, and there was nothing else I could think about. It took effort to not run into trees. I did not know where I was going, just that I had to get out of there. After several minutes, my mind finally allowed me to think and reflect.

How had I let this happen? I had seen the signs. My mother had told me to listen to my intuition, but I had ignored it instead. Was that any way to honor her memory? Tears filling my eyes, I knew she would be disappointed in me.

But how could I have done anything different? Mom had not prepared me for the danger that lay ahead. She had not taught me how to control my 'powers.' I had no idea how to help Bakura, so I had acted like nothing was the matter. It seemed the only option at the time.

It all started a year ago the beginning of my last year in junior high school. Bakura attended a private school at the time, so we met at one of our house's every day after school. On this day, it was my turn to go over to his house.

"Samia!" he said brightly when he opened the door to let me inside. "Good to see you. Look at what my dad got me on his trip to Egypt!"

I recoiled as I felt dark energy coming from the object around his neck. It was gold and consisted of a circle with a pyramid that had an eye in the middle, and around the edges of the circle were sharp points that hung down. Up until then, I thought that my mother had been exaggerating when she had warned me against magic. I had only ever used my powers to sense others' emotions, but now I could clearly feel something form this object, and I did not like it. "What is that thing?!"

Bakura blinked, confused. "It's called the Millennium Ring. Is something wrong?"

"I – I feel something evil coming from it. You shouldn't have it!" I took a step back into the outdoors.

Bakura frowned. "What are you talking about? Oh, is this because it's from Egypt? I know that has bad memories for you, but not everything from Egypt is evil."

I shook my head. "That's not it. I – I don't really know how to explain it, but my powers are warning me against it."

"Your powers have never warned you against an object before."

"My mom said I can sense magic. This is the first time it's happened."

"Then maybe you're mistaken," Bakura said calmly. He was unruffled by my reaction. "How can you tell the difference between good and evil magic?"

I hesitated. "I guess I can't." Maybe I was overreacting. Could this be because of what happened to my parents in Egypt?

"It's a gift from my dad, so until something bad happens, I'm going to keep it."

I nodded. "O-ok." The feeling subsided as I entered the house, making me wonder if I had been imaging it all along.

I should have trusted my instincts. I should have made him get rid of the object, but I was afraid of disappointing him. As silly as it seemed now, I thought arguing might cause a rift between us. My whole life, all the friends I made ended up leaving me for one reason or another. Bakura was the only one who had stayed with me for so long, so I could not risk losing him.

That was only my first encounter with a Millennium item. While in class sometime the following fall, I felt a similar energy in the room like I had when I first saw the Millennium Ring. There was something slightly different about it, but I was not yet skilled enough in my abilities to be able to decipher the meaning of this.

My eyes landed on my classmate, Yugi Muto. He was talking with three other students, but it was what was around his neck that caught my attention. Like the Ring, it was gold and had an eye in the middle. This object, however, resembled an upside down pyramid.

I did not even realize I was walking towards him before I was standing in front of him. While the Ring has repelled me, there was something about this object, while retaining its danger, drew me in. Yugi looked up at me in surprise, but a second later, he smiled at me. "Hello. Samia, right?"

I nodded. "Y-yes. You're Yugi?" His friends stared at me oddly, making me subconscious. I was not behaving like myself, which scared me.

"That's right. Can I help you?"

"Did you get that from Egypt?" I pointed at the gold pyramid.

Yugi looked at me in surprise. "My Millennium Puzzle? Yes, my grandfather found it for me in Egypt. How did you know?"

"I have a friend who has something similar." I paused. I needed to give him a reason o not think I was a total creep. "And it's interesting because my grandmother was from Egypt."

Yugi smiled. "Really? That's cool!" His friends appeared impressed as well.

Something about him relaxed me. I had been teased a lot in the past for not being pure Japanese. Even adults seemed to have looked down at my mother and me. It was refreshing to find someone who thought my heritage was something positive. I glanced at the front of the class when it was time for the class to start and then back at Yugi.

"You better find your seat," Yugi said. "I'll talk to you later."

I nodded and turned to walk away. Maybe I should have talked to him after that. Maybe he knew something about these Millennium Items that could have helped Bakura. But I had become accustomed to the Millennium Ring and had convinced myself there was nothing bad about it. And I did not want to get involved with someone else who had a Millennium Item.

I was almost able to forget about the strange objects for awhile. Then I entered high school and found myself in the same class with Yugi and his friends once again. Bakura originally enrolled in a private school, but he had problems after a week, so he transferred to Domino High School. I was happy when he was placed in my class. There was even an empty seat next to my desk so we could be together every day!

I did feel something about strange that first day, and I looked at Bakura to see a small frown on his face. "What's wrong?" I whispered. Class had just started and I did not want to get us into trouble.

Bakura pulled his Millennium Ring out from under his shirt – he hid it there to accommodate me – and stared at it. "It looks like it's pointing at something."

Sure enough, two of the spikes around the ring were lifted in the air and pointing to the left. I followed the invisible path, and my eyes widened when they landed on Yugi. "Yugi Muto?" I said in confusion.

"What's that he's got?" Bakura said curiously.

My eyes fell on the Millennium Puzzle. "Oh. He's got a Millennium Item as well. Maybe yours is pointing to it?"

"Why would it do that?"

I shrugged. "Beats me."

We grew silent so that we could listen to the teacher lecture. When the class was finished and we had a small break, Bakura stood up. "Come on," he said. "Let's talk to him."

My eyes widened in alarm. "What? Bakura!" But he had already made his way over to Yugi's desk. Gritting my teeth, I had no choice but to follow him.

"Hello," Bakura greeted the small group gathered around Yugi's desk. "Is that Duel Monsters?" Joey, one of Yugi's friends, had pulled his chair to the other side of the desk, and the two of them had cards laid out.

"Yes, it is," Yugi said, smiling. "You're the new student, Bakura. I'm Yugi, and this is Joey, Tea, and Tristan."

"Nice to meet you," Tea said.

Yugi glanced at me. "Looks like you made a friend already."

"We've known each other for years," Bakura said. "Our dad used to work together."

"And now you're in the same class," said Tea. "That's nice."

I smiled weakly and said nothing.

"Do you two know how to play?" Joey said, motioning to the cards on the desk.

"I've recently started playing," Bakura said.

"I don't play," I said softly. That had been another area for a potential argument. Remembering my mom's warning about the cards, I had told Bakura not to play, but he insisted they were harmless. I could feel no energy for the cards, so I wondered if he was right.

"Maybe we could duel sometime," Yugi said.

Bakura smiled. "I'd like that."

We chatted for a bit longer before returning to our seats. I wondered why Bakura had not asked Yugi about the Puzzle, but I did not bring it up. At the end of the day, the two of us headed to my house.

"You really should consider learning how to play Duel Monsters," Bakura said as he walked. The weather was warming up, and the spring air felt nice on my skin. "We could all play together and make some new friends."

"I'm fine with the friends I have, but if you want to play with them, go ahead."

He looked at me with a small frown. "Is this about what your mother said?"

I nodded. "She swore there was something magical about these cards."

"But you can't sense anything?"

I shook my head.

"Well, as far as I know, no one has been harmed playing it. Here." He stopped walking and dug into the side pocket of his backpack. He pulled out his Duel Monsters deck and searched through it. "Just take one card and see what happens. I think this one suits you."

Curious, I took the card he held out to me. It had a picture of a purple haired girl with three pairs of wings wearing a gold dress and floated in the air. "Wingweaver." It was a fair card, and it said she was a six-winged fairy who prays for peace and hope. There was nothing evil or sinister about that.

"It's a powerful card, so it will come in handy if you do decide to play."

I gave him a small smile as I tucked the card into my pocket. "Thanks." I had no plans to start playing, but I appreciated his thoughtfulness.

Duel Monsters was not mentioned again until my brother Raiden decided to invite Bakura over to our house to watch the Regional Duel Monsters Championship. Despite my mother's warning, Raiden worked for KaibaCorp, which was involved heavily in the game. Both Raiden and Kenji enjoyed dueling. Tonight, even little Sakiko decided to watch the game with us. I sat between her and Bakura on the couch while my brothers sat on fluffy chairs.

"Why isn't Seto Kaiba in the tournament?" Sakiko asked. Because of Raiden, she had become friends with Kaiba's little brother, Mokuba.

"Didn't you hear?" said Kenji. "He was beaten in a duel, and I think the guy who did it is in your class." He nodded at Bakura and me.

"Yugi," I said softly.

"Yeah, that's right."

"I'm worried, though," Raiden said with a frown. "It's been a long time since anyone's seen him, and apparently the same is true of Mokuba."

"I haven't been able to get a hold of him for days!" Sakiko said sadly.

"I wonder if something happened," Bakura said.

Raiden hesitated as if he was unsure if he should share the information he had. The worry coming from Sakiko was becoming almost too much for me, so I nodded him on. "There are rumors that Pegasus wants to take over KaibaCorp."

"Pegasus? The creator of Duel Monsters?" Bakura said in shock.

Raiden nodded. "That's the one."

"Why would he want to do that?"

"Power?" Kenji said. "Money? What else?"

I had a bad feeling about this that I could not shake. I said nothing as I watched the duel on the screen. In the end, Weevil Underwood defeated Rex Raptor. Pegasus gave Weevil the trophy, and then he whispered something to him. Following that was an announcement about a tournament on Duelist Kingdom that was invitation only.

"That looks like fun," Bakura said.

I shrugged. "I guess so."

I thought that would be the end of that discussion, but I was wrong. The day before the tournament, Bakura had an excited look on his face as we walked to his house together.

"You better pack, Samia," he said. "We're leaving for Duelist Kingdom tomorrow."

I looked at him in surprise. "You were invited?"

He smiled sheepishly. "Not exactly."

"Then how are we going to get on the ship?"

"We'll just have to sneak on."

I widened my eyes in surprise. "What? Why would we do that?" I could sense he was serious. I felt some nervousness, but there was another emotion I could not pinpoint.

"It would be fun. Besides, don't you want to find out if Pegasus has done something with the Kaiba brothers? You said something was off about this."

I frowned. "That's true, but what are we supposed to do about it?"

"We'll figure something out. Maybe your powers will point the way. And even if we can't do anything, we can still have a good time."

He stared at me eagerly, and I bit my lip as I thought about it. I was usually not impulsive or reckless. Bakura was not either, so why was he acting this way? His emotions were giving me no clues. I finally decided that I trusted him. He would never put me in danger, so he must have something good in mind. "Fine," I said. "But if we get caught, we're going straight home."

Bakura grinned. "Thanks, Samia. You'll have fun. I promise."

I felt uneasy about the whole ordeal, but I figured it was due to Pegasus and not Bakura's plan. I should have paid more attention to my intuition.

Somehow, we managed to sneak onto the ship. On the way, I found out that Yugi would be entering the tournament. This made sense since he had beaten Kaiba, but why was Joey with him? I did not have time to think about it, for Bakura and I had to find a place to hide. We ended up in a broom closet. The limited space caused me to tense and my heart to beat quickly, and I could sense the same reaction from Bakura.

We spent the time talking to each other like always, trying to ignore our precarious situation. Only when we could hear nothing outside to Bakura suggest we risk leaving our sanctuary.

"We better not get caught," I mumbled as I followed him to the side of the ship.

"Do you think they would throw us in the sea?" He leaned against the railing and stared into the water.

His calm demeanor put my heart at ease as I stood beside him. "No, but they'll probably send us back to the ship once we get to the island."

"Even if we do get caught, we've had a fun adventure." He beamed at me.

I could not help but smile back at him. His positive emotions were contagious. If he was not worried, then neither was I. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Let's find a place to eat and then call it a night."

I nodded. We found an area inside at the back of the ship that looked like it was being used for storage. We quickly consumed the rice balls I had made earlier. By that time, I was beat. I watched Bakura as he lay down on the floor.

"Come here," he said.

For some reason, this caused my pulse to quicken. I walked over to him and knelt on the floor. My eyes widened in surprise when he grabbed me and pulled me close to him.

"Relax," he whispered. "I'm not going to do anything to you."

My emotions were not allowing me to relax. However, by soaking up his calm feelings, I was able to get myself under control. I moved so that I was lying next to Bakura with my head in his chest. I dared not speak.

"The ground is hard," he said. "I want you to be comfortable."

"Oh. Thanks." Of course that was why he was doing this. My best friend did not have any feelings for me. I bit back my disappointment and closed my eyes. "Good night, Bakura."

"Good night, Samia."

It was surprisingly easy to fall asleep listening to his heartbeat. Despite the circumstances, I slept well that night.

I almost forgot where I was the following morning. My face heated when I realized I was lying on top of Bakura with his arm around me. I gently nudged him, and he woke up. We sat up at the same time.

"Good morning," he said sleepily. He stared at me and blinked. "Is something wrong?"

"No!" I said quickly. I grabbed a rice ball and shoved it at him. "Eat up."

We had a quick breakfast and then returned to our closet. It was not long after that we arrived at Duelist Kingdom. We decided to leave the ship with everyone else, hoping no one would notice us. Thankfully, the guards assumed we were duelists. I let out a breath of relief once we were in the large crowd.

"Let's get to the woods and come up with a plan," Bakura whispered.

I nodded and broke away from the group with him. We soon found the woods and walked in silence for a long time. Once we were far from everyone else, we found a nice grass spot to sit down across from each other, leaning against trees.

"So, what's your plan?" I asked.

"I haven't thought of anything yet?" Bakura said, smiling sheepishly. "I'm sure it will come to me."

"I bet the answers we seek are in the castle," I mused. Only finalists were allowed in the castle. I bet it would be harder to sneak inside there than it had been the ship.

"Maybe we could find a duelist who's won ten stars and get them to let us in.'

"That could work." Not that I was excited about that plan. I had a hard time dealing with strangers. Bakura knew this, and I wondered why he had dragged me here. There was still something off about the situation that I could not quite place.

"We can just hang out here for now. There's no need to rush."

So that was what we did. I gradually relaxed as we hung out like always. Lunchtime came and went. We both grew silent as we waited for something to happen.

"I wonder how Yugi is doing," Bakura murmured.

I glanced at him. I had that same feeling as before, and it was growing stronger. I finally decided I had to confront whatever this was. Even if I was just being paranoid... I had a hunch there was more to this than my friend was letting on. "Um, Bakura, why are we really here?"

He looked at me in surprise. "What do you mean?"

My intuition gave me an idea, and I decided to go with it. "Is this about Yugi? Did you bring your Ring?"

I gasped when the Millennium Ring appeared out of nowhere on his neck. The look on his face became darker, almost maniac. "Yes," he said in a deep voice I was unused to hearing from him.

I felt great power, danger, and darkness emanating from him. My intuition told me one thing. "You're not Bakura." I knew this with certainty. He _felt_ like another person. A person coming from the Ring. A... "You're a spirit."

He smirked, sending a chill down my spine. "Smart girl. Too bad your powers won't help you out of this."

"W-ho are you? What do you want? What did you do with Bakura?" His presence was so overpowering, and it filled me with fear, making it hard to think rationally.

"I am an ancient spirit seeking the power of the seven Millennium Items. Bakura is still here. He is just... unavailable at the moment. I will let you see him again if you help me." He smiled wickedly.

I could hardly speak, but I was able to shake my head. My mother had warned me against spirits. I could see now she knew what she was talking about.

He sprang at me, causing me to flinch in surprise. I was frozen in fear as he stood right in front of me, his evil smile and aura causing my heartbeat to quicken. "No?" Then his hand was on my neck, and he squeezed gently. "Are you sure about that?"

If he thought this would make it easier for me to talk, he was mistaken. Yet, if I wanted to save myself I knew I had to say something. "Wh-what d-do you w-want me to d-do?"

"Find Yugi Muto," he hissed in my face. "Bring him to me. But don't make him suspicious."

My eyes widened, and my fear spiked. "Wh-what are you going to do with him?"

"I need the Millennium Puzzle. If you're good, I may spare him and his friends. Maybe." He then threw me to the ground, causing me to cry out. "Now go!"

My face was in the dirt, and I was trembling as I stood up. I did not have time to think or worry about my emotions. All I could feel was fear and the need to get out of there was fast as possible.

That's why I ran with no thoughts of turning back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, y'all. Sorry if this chapter feels a bit rushed. It's just a summary to lead up to the present situation. There will be much more action in the next chapter.
> 
> I tried hard to find a reliable timeline for the series, but there's a lot I could not find. Since this is my version of the story, I take liberty to choose things such as the current date and how fast time lapses between different arcs.
> 
> I hope you're enjoying it so far. I'll see you next time!


	3. Chapter 2

Twigs scraped my clothed arms and legs as I raced through the forest. I thought only of fear. Then my foot hit something hard, and I sprawled on the ground, my glasses exiting my face. I lay in the dirt and grass, listening to my rapid heartbeat.

I had to get up. I had to come up with a plan.

Where was I supposed to go? How was I supposed to find Yugi? Who could I go to for help? I remembered some of my mother's last words to me and decided to trust in my intuition. For that to work, I had to push down my fear.

I took a deep breath and choked down a sob. I pushed myself up into a sitting position and reached for my purple glasses. I knew my hair must be even more out of place after that fall, but I had no time to think about that. I brushed myself up as a slowly stood up. Then I took another deep breath.

I could do this.

I closed my eyes and tried to think and feel nothing. After several minutes of silence, I felt a pull to my right. My eyes shot open as I took off running again. I could not hold off the fear for long, and I wanted to get far away from the Spirit of the Millennium Ring as possible.

I did not know where I was going, but I felt the need to get there quickly. Soon, the trees thinned, and I could see water up ahead. I slowed down as I reached the dock. What I found at the dock caused my mouth to fall open in surprise.

Yugi and his friends stood on the dock, but who they were facing was what shocked me: a man dressed in black holding Mokuba Kaiba!

My fear forgotten, I raced towards the scene. "Mokuba! Let him go!" I cried. I did not consider myself the brave type, but my little sister's friend was in trouble. The man stepped back in surprise, yet before I could reach him, someone grabbed my arms and pulled me back.

"Samia!" Mokuba cried as he struggled.

"Yugi is taking care of this," said Joey's voice.

"They're dueling later, so let them go for now," said Tristan.

The man grunted before walking off with the kid. I did not try to go after him, for my adrenaline was dying down, and with that came the return of my reason. I would not be helping Mokuba or Bakura by getting myself hurt.

My senses returned, and they gave me an uncomfortable feeling. My arms were suddenly free. I spun around and came face-to-face with Yugi Muto.

Except, it wasn't Yugi...

It looked like him, but my senses told me it was someone else. In fact, there was something oddly familiar about the sensation I was feeling...

"Are you ok?" he said in concern.

He reached out to touch me, but I leapt back like I had been burned. My pulse skyrocketed as I connected the dots. "Spirit!" I cried. I stumbled backwards, falling onto the dock.

For a second, I saw a flash of surprise in his eyes, but then confusion replaced it. "Spirit? What are you talking about?"

"Are you feeling alright?" said Tea.

Yugi stepped towards me again, and I scooted away. All I could think about was the Spirit of the Millennium Ring. Why had I not considered that the Millennium Puzzle would also house a spirit?

"Maybe she hit her head," Joey said.

'Yugi' glanced down at his Puzzle and then back at me. "Do you sense magic from my Millennium Puzzle?"

I nodded. "I can sense emotions... and magic."

"Yep, definitely hit her head," Joey said, earning an elbow in the side from Tea.

'Yugi' seemed to contemplate something. Then suddenly, he changed, and I sensed that the real Yugi was there once again. "I can tell you I am no spirit, but I do think there is magic in the Puzzle. Maybe that's all you're sensing."

I blinked several times. The terrifying presence was gone, yet Yugi seemed to be acting the same. "You remember all that? You've never blacked out or felt someone take control?"

Yugi shook his head. "I've felt power, magic, and guidance, but I have never lost control of my body."

"Yugi does seem to be different when dueling," Tristan said. "It's like the Puzzle gives him confidence."

"Then m-maybe that's it." My intuition told me I was right the first time, but how could I explain this? Something was different from Bakura, and I could not place my finger on it. What I could tell, though, was that Yugi was good and I could trust him. I accepted his hand this time and let him help me up. "Thanks."

"You're Samia, right?" Tea said with a friendly smile.

I nodded.

"How do you know Mokuba?" Joey asked, still seeming slightly uneasy.

"My brother works for KaibaCorp," I said, "and Mokuba is my little sister's friend."

"What are you doing here?" said Yugi. "Are you a duelist?"

I shook my head, but then I froze. Memories of Bakura filled my mind, threatening to cause me to break down again. I started to talk so I did not have to think. "I don't duel. I'm here with my friend, Bakura. He's a duelist."

"I knew I saw Bakura on the ship!" Tea said triumphantly.

"Bakura was invited?" Joey said suspiciously.

I flushed. "Er, well..."

Yugi chuckled. "It's alright. Neither was Joey." His friend frowned at this. "Where is he now?"

My fear returned, and my hands started to shake. I had to come up with something quick. "I – I got separated from him. I dozed off and had a nightmare. I woke up in terror and ran..." I was not lying about it being a nightmare, but I did not tell them it was a _living_ nightmare. I did not know how they would handle the truth.

"Yugi, we don't have time for another side mission," said Joey.

"But we do have four hours before Yugi's duel," Tea said.

"Y-you don't need to help me," I said. I did not want to burden them, and I would be putting Yugi in danger if I stayed with him. But what would the Spirit of the Ring do to ne if I came back alone? "I can find him on my own."

"But it's dangerous to be alone without a dueling deck," Tristan said. "You could get into serious trouble."

"Tristan's right," said Yugi. "You should stay with us. I'm sure we'll run into Bakura eventually. This is an island, after all."

"And it would be nice to have another girl in the group," Tea said with a smile.

"Hey, what's wrong with boys?" said Joey. Tea simply rolled her eyes.

My senses told me they were all sincere, and I could not believe their kindness. Only Bakura had been this nice to me in the past. It was hard for me to refuse them. After all, I had no idea what else I was supposed to do, and if Yugi did have magic in his Puzzle, then maybe, just maybe he could help Bakura and me. I found myself smiling back at them. "Sure. I would appreciate that. Thank you."

Yugi smiled. "No problem. Why don't we find some place to rest?"

"Can we find some food?" said Joey. "I'm hungry!"

"I've got some rice balls in my backpack," I said timidly.

"Really? Great!" Joey grinned at me.

"And you didn't want her to join us," Tea teased him.

I smiled slightly as we headed away from the dock. I was not perfectly at ease, but I felt much better than I had moments before. I tried not to think about my future and my best friend. I needed to trust that these people could help me. Still, something told me that I had just stepped into something much bigger than anticipated.

We walked in silence for several minutes, and I took the chance to calm my heart and mind. Eventually, we reached an open space with trees surrounding it. We decided to stop here, so I slipped off my backpack and pulled out my bag of rice balls. I smiled slightly when Joey almost mauled me to get the two I handed him. Well, that was one way to make friends.

Everyone split off after taking their food. It seemed we all needed to rest after the long morning. I settled against a tree to eat my rice ball. I glanced at Yugi in surprised when he sat next to me. "Do you mind?" he said with a friendly smile.

I shook my head. "No." Truthfully, I had almost liked him. His kindness was attractive. If I had not met Bakura first, maybe we could have been good friends.

My eyes fell to his Millennium Puzzle. I could still feel energy and power radiating from it, but it was dulled, making me able to discern the difference between what I was feeling now and what I felt near the Millennium Ring and its spirit. The energy was different. There was no obvious evil with the Puzzle. That would make sense if there was simply magic inside, but what if my initial intuition was right? Could the Puzzle contain a good spirit?

Then I remembered what my mother had said about good spirits and knew it did not matter. It was still dangerous, which was why I had avoided Yugi. But now... I needed to find a way to save Bakura.

"Can I ask you about your powers?" Yugi said once he had finished his first rice ball. "It sounds really interesting."

I nodded. "It runs in my family. I – I'm not very good at it yet, but I can sense what other people are feeling. And I can guess at their intentions and the state of their heart unless they're good at concealing it."

"Wow, that must make you very compassionate if you can feel what other people feel."

I shrugged. "I guess so." I did care a lot about people, and it hurt me when they were hurt.

"I bet you're good at making friends."

I frowned and glanced down at my lap. "Not really," I mumbled.

"Huh?" I felt his surprise.

I had not meant for him to hear that, and now I had to explain. I sucked in a sharp breath as I lifted my head to meet his gaze. "People think I'm too sensitive. I always end up caring more about people than they do about me. They end up leaving, and it hurts too much. Only Bakura has stayed. And my siblings." I did not know why I was speaking to him about this. It was not something I shared lightly. Yet, there was something about him that calmed me and made me comfortable. Maybe it was because I could feel that he generally cared about me despite not knowing me for long. He was a _good_ person. One of the best I had ever come across.

"I'm sorry." His eyes shone with sympathy, and I knew he was sincere. "I used to have trouble making friends. Everyone always passed me by. But then I met Joey and Tristan and then Tea. And now we're you're friends too." His smile lit up his face, making it hard for me to doubt him.

"Thank you," I said softly.

"We'll find Bakura. I'm sure he's looking for you too."

I was not so sure, but I could not say this, so decided to change the subject. "Why are you in this tournament?"

"I like dueling, and I thought it would be fun."

He was lying, which seemed out of character for him. I decided to trust my intuition and reveal another secret. "Bakura and I aren't here to duel. My brother thinks there's something going on with KaibaCorp. Kaiba and Mokuba hadn't been seen for awhile, and he thinks it has something to do with Pegasus. Now that I have seen Mokuba captured, he has to be right." I had not had much time to reflect on that until now. What in the world was going on?

Concern flashed across Yugi's face. "You're right. "Mokuba said that Kaiba is missing, and his company will be given to Pegasus if he can beat me in a duel. That's why he forced me to participate in the tournament."

My eyes widened, "Forced?" I could feel pain and grief coming from his heart.

He nodded. He seemed hesitant to go on, but then he spoke: "He captured my grandfather's soul."

My mouth fell open in shock. "Th-that's terrible!"

"I know. That's why I have to win and get his soul back."

"But how-" A thought struck me. "Pegasus has a Millennium Item, doesn't he?"

Yugi was surprised at my question. "Yes. He has the Millennium Eye."

"That's how he did it then." I leaned my head against the tree and groaned. How many Millennium Items were there? Did Pegasus host a spirit as well? "I need to get off this island and return to my normal life."

"Agreed. I never asked for any of this."

It pained me to hear the sorrow in his voice. I felt a strong need to do whatever I could to assist him. "I don't know if I can be of any use, but I'll do what I can to help you."

Yugi's features relaxed as he smiled at me. "Thank you, Samia. I appreciate it." He looked around the area to see that his friends were dozing off. "Maybe resting isn't such a bad idea. I'll keep watch of the time if you want to take a nap."

The mention of sleep made me realize how tired I was, and I could not argue with him. I took my glasses off and set them to the side. Then I moved to the grass and curled into a ball. For once, my thoughts and emotions did not torment me as I drifted into a slumber.

Something disturbed my sleep. I opened my eyes and stuck my glasses back on my face. Yugi stood in front of me, gazing into the distance. Except, I felt the same presence I had when I first ran into him earlier in the day.

Was this really Yugi? I was still not used to my powers, but there was something different between what I felt now and what I felt around the Spirit of the Millennium Ring. I could still feel Yugi's presence. It was almost like he was blended with someone else. Was it really just an enhancement from the magic of the Puzzle?

Everyone else stirred. It was time to leave. Yugi looked at me, and I knew there was something different about him. His eyes were confident and determined, and they told me to trust him. I did not sense any evil or immediate danger, so I let my weary mind rest as I followed Yugi to the dueling arena.

I became alert as soon as I saw the guard from before holding onto Mokuba. "No!" I exclaimed. "Mokuba!"

"Samia!" Mokuba said as he struggled. "Yugi! Get him off of me!"

"Put him down now!" Yugi demanded.

"I'll consider it if you win the duel," the guard said.

"Oh, I'll beat you, all right."

"I never said I would duel. There is your opponent!" The man pointed to the dueling arena where someone stood in place. I gasped when I saw who it was: Seto Kaiba. "He's an old friend who's dying to see you again. He met an unfortunate end earlier today, but he's come back just to duel you."

"What are you saying?" said Mokuba.

"Yes, Yugi," said 'Kaiba.' His voice sounded off, and something felt very strange as well. "It's me, Kaiba. And this time you don't stand a ghost of a chance."

"Yugi, you don't have a ghost of a chance beating Kaiba," said the man, "because this time he is a ghost."

"A ghost?" said Yugi.

"Stop it, Kemo!" said Mokuba, who now stood beside the guard.

"It's a fact," Kemo said. "Two witnesses saw him fall to his doom."

"Liar! Take back what you said!"

"That's not Kaiba!" I interjected. This did not feel like him at all.

Yugi glanced at me. "Are you sure, Samia?"

I hesitated. "I'm pretty sure." A ghost was similar to a spirit, right? And whatever was on the dueling field did not feel like the Spirit of the Ring... or the magic from the Puzzle. Yet there was a hint of Kaiba coming from this imposter that I could not explain.

"You're in denial," Kemo said, smirking at Mokuba. "Get used to it. All that's left of Kaiba are your memories. Plus a very cranky ghost just looking for revenge."

"It's not him," Yugi said.

"Well, he's seen better days. It's time to duel with the ghoul."

"It can't be. That guy's nothing but a fake. A trick by Pegasus."

I nodded. "Beat him and expose him." I was really getting tired of this. We needed to rescue Mokuba and find out what really happened to his brother!

Yugi took his spot opposite of the imposter, and the duel began. It was much harder for me to read his emotions now then when I had been talking to him earlier, but I did not see any reason to fear. He had beaten Kaiba before, right? He could definitely beat whoever this was. Or _whatever_ this was.

"You may look like Kaiba, but there is no way you can imitate his deck," said Yugi.

"You mean _my_ deck," said the imposter. "Kemo, once I beat Yugi, Pegasus can have KaibaCorporation. All I want is revenge."

My eyes narrowed as my intuition told me something was off. There was no way this was Kaiba. I was glad Yugi was not buying it either.

His confidence did not fade even when the imposter apparently opened with the same move the real Kaiba had used in his duel against Yugi. Yet something was off even about this, but I could not put my finger on it.

This was not the first duel I had ever seen in person, but it was the first duel with holograms. I flinched when the realistic monsters appeared on the field, and I found myself missing Bakura, who I knew would know how to put me at ease. I took a deep breath and focused on Yugi's emotions.

"This next card's a blast from the past, Yugi," the imposter Kaiba said after several minutes of dueling, "with the emphasis on blast." He flipped over the card to show his opponent. I could not see the card itself, but I could see and feel Yugi's horror. This could not be good. "I attack with the Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

I knew enough about Duel Monsters to know that there were only four in the world, and Kaiba had three of them. There was no way – Unless...

"Only one deck has got that card," Joey said, echoing my thoughts.

Mokuba was just as stunned. "That means what they say... could it be true?"

"No, they stole Kaiba's deck!" I said. That was the only explanation. "Yugi, don't let him psych you out!" I sensed his frustration, and I knew my words had not affected him. Instead, his emotions were giving me a hard time. What was the point of having these powers if I could not use them to help people? My mom would know what to do. She would know how to tell what was going on and how to assist Yugi. Why wasn't she here?

After more mockery from the imposter, Mokuba cried out in anguish: "Shut up! Please, someone make him go away!"

My heart went out to the boy as I was consumed by his emotions. I emotionally disconnected myself from Yugi as I ran over to Mokuba and pulled him against me. Kemo, still holding the boy's wrist, glared at me, and I glared right back at him. "It will be alright," I said softly as I rubbed Mokuba's back. I did not have the talent to fake my emotions to make someone feel better like Bakura did, but I hoped my presence would bring some comfort to him.

I few more turns passed before more interruptions by the imposter. It was obvious to me that he was trying to get inside Yugi's head to defeat him. I could only pray that it would not work.

"That's not my brother!" Mokuba exclaimed as he held onto me with his free arm. "There's just no way! Yugi, you know that's not him. Everyone thinks he's a bad guy, but I know my brother, and he's not mean like this. He's my best friend in the whole world. That thing's not him! You just gotta believe me!"

The young boy's emotions made my heart hurt. It was not just feeling his pain that did it either. I was reminded of my own pain in the past, the way I had lost my parents and the new threat that wanted to take _my_ best friend away from me. "He's right, Yugi. I know Kaiba, and he's not like this. I'm not sure what's going on, but I know this is a trick."

Yugi did not answer us but instead continued the duel. It was hard for me to follow along, but somehow he managed to defeat the Blue Eyes White Dragon. Just when I began to feel relieved, the imposter brought out a second Blue Eyes. Both sides now only had 500 life points.

I started when I felt another presence. No, no one was there, but... The Blue Eyes' attack points were draining, and the dragon hologram was melting away!

But its attack was still too strong, and it prepared to launch the attack that would finish Yugi. I shut my eyes in fear.

' _Yugi!'_

My eyes shot open as a voice, Kaiba's voice entered my mind. Yugi glanced at me, and I could tell he had heard it as well.

Then I heard it a second time. Everyone else appeared in the dark. My powers must have allowed me to hear the voice, but what about Yugi? I suddenly felt great power coming from him, and I undeniably knew that he was not alone. At that moment I felt no fear.

The dragon destroyed itself, leaving Yugi's monster unharmed. Mokuba let go of me and cheered.

The imposter Kaiba then started to freak out. "Why me?" he exclaimed, clutching his head.

Yugi had now regained his composure and responded calmly: "Why? Because Kaiba's still alive. He stopped you."

"Silence! I am Kaiba!"

"Enough! Your charade is over."

"My brother is alive!" Mokuba said. Relief washed over me at the sudden change of atmosphere.

"Imposter!" Yugi said to the fake Kaiba. "The real Seto Kaiba destroyed that monster. I know because I sensed him calling out to me when it happened. Now, enough of your lies. We know you're not Kaiba! It's time for you to show us who you really are."

"I told you, I am Kaiba!" the imposter said manically. "Or at least I'm part of him. The darkest part." His clothes and skin fell away, revealing an ugly clown that caused me to cringe. "I can see you don't recognize me, Yugi. I wasn't lying when I told you I was Seto Kaiba... the evil part of him that you sent to the Shadow Realm after out last duel. Now I'm back thanks to Pegasus!"

"You're not a part of my brother anymore!" Mokuba said.

I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion. "Shadow Realm? What's that?"

Tea glanced at me with a small frown. "I'm not sure."

"Yugi did something freaky with his Puzzle to banish the evil from Kaiba," Joey said.

I nodded. I doubted it was Yugi who had done it. How would he know how to use such power?

The duel continued. Eventually, the clown drew his last Blue Eyes White Dragon. This time, the monster's attack points stayed at 3000. I held my breath.

I felt tension all around me, but oddly, none of it came from Yugi himself. I relaxed when I realized that he must have a plan. Sure enough, he used a magic card to bring back a Blue Eyes. Then he used his Mystical Elf to transfer her attack powers to his dragon.

"Consider this a message from the real Seto Kaiba," Yugi said. "You lose!" The two Blue Eyes clashed, and Yugi's ended up victorious, winning the duel for him.

The explosion from the last attack was huge, but that was not what overwhelmed my senses. I now could barely feel Yugi. Instead, I felt a very strong and powerful source inside his body. I knew without a doubt, this was a spirit.

"Pegasus may have helped you escape the Shadow Realm once before, but it won't happen again!" the spirit declared. "Never again!"

I doubled over as the magic I felt overwhelmed me. I had to force my eyes open so I could watch the scene, though my powers told me more than my eyes ever could. A strong force sent the clown out of this world, but his terror was not the most consuming. I now did not have much trouble gazing at the person who was supposed to be Yugi.

I could swear he was surrounded by light, the Millennium Puzzle glowing. The magic and power that poured from him became more bearable and transformed into a deep attraction. Despite my initial fear, I felt a need to go to him. It was the same pull I had felt when I had first seen Yugi with the Puzzle.

My mother's warning flashed in my mind, but then another thought struck me. I felt no evil from this Spirit. And he had helped Kaiba, his rival, by freeing him from his evil. Plus, he had risked his star chips to save Kaiba's brother. If that was not good, what was? I felt an odd peace with my decision that I did not question. I could trust him. I _had_ to trust him.

"I'm sorry, mom," I whispered. Then I dashed towards the dueling arena. Yugi/the spirit had just retrieved Kaiba's deck form the other side when I reached him. "Spirit!"

Something flashed in his eyes as he stepped down from the platform so he was level with me. "What?" he said in a voice that was most definitely not Yugi's. He even looked different. Was I the only one who could see it?

I could feel Yugi regaining power in his body, and I knew I had to act fast. Almost like acting from an ancient instinct I did not know was there, I reached forward and placed my hand on the side of the Puzzle. Then I said in my mind, _"Can you hear me?"_

_**"Yes,"**_ said the Spirit's voice inside my mind. _**"Who are you?"**_

My eyes widened in surprise. The power and magic I felt was dwindling, and I had no fear. This was no time to think about consequences. _"I could ask you the same thing. I need your help. My best friend Bakura is possessed by the Spirit of the Millennium Ring. I need you to help him. He wants the Millennium Puzzle! He'll hurt Yugi!"_

The Spirit's strong gaze caused me to shiver, but it was not a bad feeling. _**"I will help you. I promise."**_

I gave him a small smile as relief flooded me. _''Thank you."_ If he could help Kaiba, then he had to be able to help Bakura. Right now, he was my only hope.

I let go and took a step back. A second later, I could feel and see that Yugi had regained control of his body. He looked at me with a puzzled expression on his face. "Did you say something? I spaced out there for a minute."

I could still feel the Spirit's presence in the Puzzle, and I knew he was watching. I smiled at Yugi. "I just said that was a great duel and a great thing you did for Mokuba."

Yugi blushed and rubbed the back of his beck. "Thanks, Samia."

"That creep took Mokuba!" Tea suddenly exclaimed.

I gasped and spun around. _Oh no!_ "I shouldn't have let him out of my sight," I said through gritted teeth.

"It's not your fault," Yugi said, putting a hand on my shoulder. His sympathy and concern made me feel slightly better.

"Let's look for him," said Joey.

I nodded numbly as I started forward. I found myself wishing for another break. So much had happened within the last hour, the last _day_. But looking at Yugi, I knew that some good had come of it as well. These were good people, and with any luck, I would come off of this island with some much needed friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That chapter was longer than expected. I hope you like how I'm doing things. Sometimes I'll simply summarize duels, but other times I think it's helpful to the story to show some of it. Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 3

The next couple of hours dragged on. A summary will suffice.

Mokuba was nowhere to be found. My sadness distracted me from everything else going on as I followed my new friends around. Soon, the sun began to set, and I wondered what we would be doing for the night. I had remembered to bring food but had not considered any sleeping equipment. Oh well. There was still time to think about that.

We came across an area that had many duelists wandering around. I sensed that they were all normal and ignorant of magic, which made me relax slightly. Joey became anxious to duel someone, so we started looking for an opponent for him.

Then a woman showed up and introduced herself as Mai. The others obviously knew her and disliked her. She was tall with blond hair and wore tight fitting purple clothing. I sensed internal conflict from inside of her, making me more sympathetic than my friends. She had some problems to deal with, but I could feel no evil in her heart.

Mai insulted Joey and then challenged him to beat a duelist she had picked out for him: Rex Raptor, the runner up in the duel monsters regional competition. I had a bad feeling about this, but he accepted.

Apparently, Joey had won his last duel by taking advice from Yugi. This time, he wanted to win without his help. I admired and envied him for this. I could not get by without certain people in my life. I did not feel the need to go it alone. Was I being a burden on others because of this? Maybe that was the reason why I was separated from Bakura.

Tristan seemed to have a different opinion. I could tell that he thought Joey was shunning his friendship, so he ran off. I wanted to go after him, but Yugi did so instead. I focused on the duel.

It was still hard for me to tell what was going on, but it seemed like the duel went back and forth. I could feel a lot coming from Joey. He seemed to be fighting for something very important. Tea then explained that Joey wanted to win the tournament for the prize money. His younger sister was going blind, but their family didn't have money for the operation. My respect for him increased after hearing that.

Thankfully, Yugi and Tristan soon returned. Joey seemed to realize something and made up with his friends. I was at awe at the strong friendship between these guys. Joey was not a burden on them after all. They truly wanted to help each other. I wished I could have more friends like that.

Joey was soon put in a tight spot. Rex suggested that they bet a card on the game, the card they currently had in play. For Joey, that was the Time Wizard, and for Rex it was the Red Eyes Black Dragon. The monsters still scared me, but I did always have a liking for dragons.

Soon after that, Joey was able to win by using the Time Wizard. He excitedly jumped down and ran over to his friends to celebrate. I smiled as I watched them. I did not feel like a part of their group, but their happy emotions were contagious. I had been worried there for a minute, but everything had worked out fine.

We were all in better spirits as we walked through the woods. Soon, we decided to set up camp. We found a nice tree and sat around in a circle. It was then that I realized how exhausted I was from the long day. I tried to keep my eyes opened as the others told ghost stories.

"I'm starving!" Joey said suddenly. "Hey, Samia, do you have any of those rice balls left?"

I bit my lip and shook my head. I had only packed for two people. Besides, I also had thought there would be food for us on the island. What kind of place was this?

Joey frowned. "Aw man, that stinks!"

Tea rolled her eyes. "It's not her fault you forgot to bring food."

Suddenly, Joey jumped up and ran over to a mushroom. "Hey, my meal ticket!"

Tristan leapt up and held his friend back. The rest of us slowly stood up as well. "Wild mushrooms are poisonous, Joey," Yugi said.

I nodded. I hoped he was not hungry enough to eat it. I did not need to feel his painful emotions when he became poisoned.

"So do us all a favor and let him eat it," came a voice from behind.

We spun around to see Mai laughing. She was carrying a sack over her shoulder. I sensed amusement from her, but her deeper emotions were concealed.

"What do you want now, Mai?" Joey groaned.

Mai took out a chocolate bar and took a bite. This made me hungry as well, but I showed no reaction. I knew she was only teasing us, not trying to be a jerk like she had been earlier.

"Huh?" Joey ran over to her, shaking his fist in anger. "That's it. You can duel me, you can insult me, but you're not eating in front of me!"

Mai smiled. "You're that hungry, are you?"

Joey nodded.

"Ok then. Give me your star chips and I'll give you some food."

"Forget it! Potato chips – I mean star chips are priceless!"

Mai laughed. "I was just kidding, Joseph. I'll be more than happy to share if you can manage to ask politely like a gentleman."

"Right, so then you can go make fun of me for that too?"

I found the exchange quite intriguing. Mai may have been trying hard to hide her emotions, but I could tell that she was trying to be nice n her own way. Had the group of friends gotten to her? I hoped so.

"Look," said Mai, "by tomorrow I'll have won entrance to the castle, so there's no point in me keeping an entire knapsack full of food."

Yugi smiled. "Sure would be nice to not have to duel tomorrow on an empty stomach."

"How do we know this isn't another trick," Joey said, crossing his arms. "Give me one good reason why I should trust you."

"You can trust her," I said. It was the first time I had spoken up for hours, but I found it necessary. I was the only one who could know for sure that Mai had good intentions.

The blond looked at me with a quirked eyebrow before turning her gaze back to Joey. "'Cause it's either me or that poisonous mushroom."

With this, everyone agreed to let her share her food with us. Mai spread out her bag full of food in the ground. Even I was surprised at how much she had. She sure came prepared! She even had drinks covered. My mouth watered just looking at it all. I could not remember being this hungry in the past. But, hey, it was a nice distraction from my more pressing problems.

Mai instructed the boys to get some chores done. Yugi was to find firewood and Joe y and Tristan were to fetch firewood. When I started to follow Yugi, the blond said, "You girls can use my camp shower to freshen up."

I glanced at her in surprise. "I – I'm fine."

"I'll take you up on your offer," Tea said.

Mai blinked at me before returning to Tea. By this time, the boys were out of sight, so I wandered to the campfire and sat down. Truthfully, I did not have the energy to even shower. I wanted to eat and then have a long rest.

I helped the boys cook when they returned while Mai supervised us. My head perked up when I heard Tea scream from the shower. Something had startled her – probably a spider. I relaxed once we were all seated around the campfire, enjoying a hot meal. This was definitely better than eating more cold rice balls!

Tea gave the meal four stars, and then Yugi looked at Mai with a smile and said, "Speaking of stars, I hear you've won a few, Mai. How many do you have, eight? Or is it nine? However many, it sure sounds like you're in the zone."

"Ha," Mai said. "Don't think you're going to fool me with your nice guy routine, Yugi."

I frowned and stared at my food. It was not a routine. Yugi genuinely was a nice guy. Why couldn't the older girl see that? Why couldn't I speak up? If I had been more confident and less shy, I would have been able to stand up for Yugi. I was useless. I watched as Mai left the camp for a walk, claiming that she would take down any duelist in her way. As for me, I had had enough of Duel Monsters.

Time passed. Everyone else talked while I focused on finishing my meal. After awhile, we wondered if we should go looking for Mai. She had been gone for a long time. It was hard for me to keep my eyes open, so I did not care what they did.

Suddenly, a familiar feeling caused me to sit straight up. I sensed magic... and evil. At the same time there was a rustling in the bushes beside us. As we all jumped up to face who was there, I had a bad feeling I knew who it was, and it was not Mai like Joey thought.

"It's Bakura," Yugi said.

I was tense with anticipation. This _was_ Bakura, except... It was the Bakura who had been with me on the ship. His Millennium Ring was hidden, and there was no visible sign of the Spirit within it. If I did not feel his presence, I would have thought he was completely gone. But... it did not seem like he was being completely controlled. Could I trust him?

Bakura gave me a friendly smile. "Samia! I've been looking for you."

I let out a sigh of relief. This sounded and felt like me best friend. I tentatively smiled back as I ran over to him. We embraced each other, holding on tightly like the other might disappear if either let go. This was him, but there was still a dark presence in the background.

"I'm glad you found us," Yugi said. "Samia ran into us."

"We've been keeping an eye on her for you," said Tristan.

Bakura pulled away from me as he chuckled. "Thanks, you guys."

"Why don't you join us for the night?" Tea said.

Bakura smiled. "That would be great. Thanks."

We returned to the campfire. I sat between Bakura and Yugi. I could still feel partial control from my best friend, and my intuition told me something big was about to happen. _Spirit, help me._ I dared not reach out to the Millennium Puzzle lest I looked suspicious to Yugi... and the Spirit of the Millennium Ring.

"Joey, you've been staring at that card for like, an hour," Tristan said. Indeed, we had sat in silence for awhile now, and Joey was currently staring intently at a Duel Monsters card. "What's up?"

"I'll tell you; just don't laugh," said Joey. "Sometimes, when I'm in a duel, I pretend it's me out there on the field, swapping blows with whatever card my opponent has out. Isn't that dumb?"

"Well, if you were, which card would you want to be, Joey?" asked Bakura.

I stiffened beside him. The Evil Spirit definitely had more control now than before.

"Uh, this one." Joey stood up and showed the card to everyone with a grin. "The Flame Swordsman kicks everybody's butt." He swiped down with his hands. "Ha!"

Tristan stood up and held out his own card. "Not mine, guys. The Cyber Commander."

"You boys and your cards are hilarious," Tea said.

"I think everyone has a card they can identify with," Yugi said. "You should see if you can pick one for yourself, Tea."

"Ok, I pick this one, Magician of Faith."

"What?" Tristan laughed. "You gotta be kidding me."

"More like the Magician of Freaks if you ask me," Joey said.

"Shut up!" said Tea.

"Tell me which one you identify with, Yugi," said Bakura.

"Oh, that's easy," said Yugi, holding up a card. "Dark Magician, hands down."

"And what about you, Samia?"

Bakura's eyes bored into mine, causing me to shiver. I could still feel him, but he was slipping away. I gulped. "I – I don't have one."

"Come on, the rest of us chose," said Yugi.

"Even Tea," said Joey.

I hesitated. "O – Ok." I fumbled in my bag and brought out my only card. "I like this one."

"Wingweaver?" said Yugi. "That's actually a pretty good card. Where did you get it?"

"That's the card I gave you," said Bakura.

"Sweet," said Joey.

"Maybe I'm just out of the loop, but don't you guys think it's a little silly to be comparing ourselves to playing cards?" asked Tea.

"Maybe a little," Yugi said. Then he smiled. "But it's like Grandpa says, it's not about playing cards; it's about putting a little bit of your heart into anything that you care about, you know?" He turned to the white-haired boy on my other side. "So, which card do you care about most, Bakura?"

"This one is my favorite." Bakura held up a card.

"Isn't that the Change of Heart Card?"

"Kind of weird looking picture, don't you think?" said Joey.

"Hm. If you want to see how it works, we can have a duel right now," said Bakura. "Not for star chips, just for a little bit of fun."

A shiver ran down my spine. I could sense the Evil Spirit taking control. A duel did _not_ sound like a good idea.

"Sure, I'm down for that," said Joey. "After all this star chips stuff, it'll be nice to have a duel with no strings attached."

"I agree," Yugi said. "I think just a regular old duel sounds like a great idea."

Bakura smiled. "Why don't you guys each put your favorite card into Yugi's deck so it'll be like we're all playing?"

"That's a good idea. Samia, why don't you put yours in Bakura's desk?"

I gulped as my heartbeat quickened. "N-no. That's ok."

"What's wrong?" said Bakura. "It's just a game."

My eyes flickered to Yugi's Puzzle before I reluctantly handed my card to my friend. "Fine then." I had a terrible feeling about this. I felt something sinister as Bakura's hand brushed against mine.

"Great!" Yugi said happily. "But I should warn you that with this all-star team of cards, we'll be tough to beat."

"True, but maybe I'll surprise you," said Bakura.

Suddenly, I could not take it anymore. "You know, I don't think this is such a good idea."

Yugi blinked at me. "What's wrong, Samia?"

"Don't mind her," Bakura said. "She gets anxious when she's tired."

We found a tree stump where we could play. Yugi and his friends sat on one side while Bakura dragged me to the other. I was tense with fear. What was I supposed to do now?

"Don't you worry about a thing, Bakura," Joey said. "We'll go easy on you."

"Thanks," Bakura said. I froze in fear when I felt the Spirit of the Ring Totally take control of him, yet my new friends did not notice the shift. "Before we get started, there's a little something I'd like to share with you all, and especially you, Yugi."

"No!" I cried out.

The others blinked in confusion. "What?" said Joey.

The Spirit grinned, looking positively evil in the low lighting. "Oh, you'll see."

My eyes met Yugi's. "I'm sorry," I whispered. _Now would be a good time to take over, Spirit of the Puzzle._ I knew he couldn't hear me, but I was too far away, and the evil Bakura was too close.

"What's he doing?" said Tea. Bakura had put his hands in front of his stomach. Suddenly, the Millennium Ring appeared.

"This is getting freaky," Joey said.

Yugi gasped. "No, it can't be! A Millennium Item! Did you know about this, Samia?"

I winced. "Kind of, but this isn't Bakura! It's an evil spirit!"

"Quiet," the Spirit growled, pushing me to the ground and nearly knocking my glasses off of my face. "The Magic of the Millennium Ring will now take us to the Shadow Realm."

I cried out as pain struck me. I shut my eyes and clenched my teeth, having no idea what was going on. Joey said something, but I could not make out the words due to the ringing in my ears. I did hear Yugi's question: "Why are you doing this, Bakura?"

"You've something I want, Yugi," the Spirit said, "and I aim to take it!"

My head felt like it was spinning. After a minute, everything finally went still. I slowly opened my eyes and stood up to see that my friends had become unconscious and the Evil Spirit was towering above them. We were surrounded in a world of dark clouds and purple. Was this the Shadow Realm? I felt weaker but not totally drained.

"That wasn't too difficult," the Spirit said. He glanced behind them, his eyes going wide when he noticed me standing there. "Why are you unaffected?"

I blinked in surprise. "I – I don't know."

"Must be your powers." "No matter; you won't be able to stop me." He turned back to my friends' lifeless bodies. "Their souls have all been locked away, and now, after waiting for countless centuries, the legendary Millennium Puzzle is mine."

"No!" I raced towards Yugi, but the Spirit reached out his arm and pushed me to the ground once again.

I was helpless as he reached Yugi and reached down to grab the Puzzle. Just then, the Puzzle started to glow, and Yugi changed. Hope filled me as I sensed the Spirit of the Puzzle take over, and he stood up. "No!" the Spirit of the Ring said. "It can't be!"

"Yes!" I grinned as I stood back up.

Bakura spun around and glared at me. "Why didn't you warn me?"

I glared at him. "I have no allegiance to _you_." I ran towards the Good Spirit, but the Evil Spirit grabbed my arm.

"Unhand her!" said the Spirit of the Puzzle.

"No," Bakura growled. "She's mine. She'll make a nice queen after I get a hold of the Millennium Puzzle."

My eyes widened in horror. _Queen?_ I gazed at the Spirit of the Puzzle, pleading with my eyes for him to save me.

"You want my Millennium Puzzle? Then you're going to have to duel me for it." Yugi began to stir inside him, but he was groggy and not in control. "But if I win, you'll release my friends and send us all back."

The Evil Bakura laughed. "I agree to your ridiculous terms, Yugi, but I promise you, there is more at stake here than you comprehend. And this is one shadow game you can't win!"

"Bakura, what have you done? Why have you taken us to the Shadow Realm? Bakura?"

_So, he knows what the Shadow Realm is too._ Was I the only one out of the loop? Why did they almost seem to know each other?

The Evil Spirit smirked. "Bakura? Bakura's not here."

"I told you," I mumbled, wincing when the hand around my arm tightened.

"If you're not Bakura, then who are you?"

"I am a thief and a stealer of souls. I have done terrible things in my quest to possess the Millennium Items. You do remember the legends, don't you? Whosoever wields all seven Millennium Items will possess power unimaginable. And before I'm done with you, your Millennium Puzzle will be mine!"

My eyes widened. Unimaginable power? In the hands of this freak? No way! "You have to stop him!" I shout.

"Silence!" the Spirit of the Ring hissed.

"We'll play, but you need to give me Samia first."

"I told you, she's mine. She'll be of great use to me in the future."

Wait, what did he know about my powers? Did he know who I was? My intense fear prevented me from speaking.

"You must win the game if you want her," said the Spirit of the Puzzle.

The other spirit smirked. "Fine. It will be satisfying to watch you hand her over to me."

I was roughly pushed forward. I stumbled, but the Good Spirit caught me in his arms. I immediately clung to his side. I sensed his surprise, but then he put his arm around me. I usually would not act this way around strangers, especially a spirit, but I was too afraid to care.

"I won't let anything happen to you," he said in a low voice. I could sense Yugi's full presence, and he likely now thought he was in control. I nodded once.

The Evil Spirit appeared amused. "Then let the Shadow Game begin!"

The two of them knelt on either side of the stump. I stayed on Yugi's right side. I had already witnessed several duels, but none of them had such an eerie feel. I wished I knew what I could do to help.

Yugi had the first turn. He summoned Tristan's favorite card, Cyber Commander, in defense mode. However, as soon as he laid the card down, a tiny version of Tristan dressed up as the Cyber Commander appeared on the stump. "It's his soul!" I exclaimed.

Bakura smirked. "Very good. And there's nothing you can do about it. Your little friend looks tough, but can he deal with this?" He placed a card on the field. "The White Magical Hat. Attack!"

"Oh man," Tristan said when a small hologram of the White Magical Hat appeared, "I must still be dreaming. Yeah, that's it. This is all just a really bad – AAAH!" He was attacked by the monster.

"No, Tristan!" Yugi exclaimed. I cried out at the same time as him, clutching my sides. "Samia!" He grabbed onto me with his free arm to steady me. "Are you alright?"

"I – I'll be fine," I said in a shaky voice. I swallowed hard. "I felt his pain when he was defeated, but I – I faintly feel him." I glared at the Spirit of the Ring. "Where is he?"

"Your friend is gone on his way to the discard pile, the graveyard as we call it in Duel Monsters," he responded.

"It can't be," Yugi said in shock.

I shook my head defiantly. "There has to be a way to get him back. He's still alive."

The Dark Bakura laughed. "For now. When you duel in the Shadow Realm, the stakes are always higher. Yugi made a sloppy move, and now your friend, he paid for it with his very soul. Now, which of your friends will you sacrifice next?"

Yugi stared at his cards for a minute. Then he played Joey's favorite card: Flame Swordsman. Joey appeared on the field, wearing the Flame Swordsman's attire. He freaked out just as Tristan had. Yugi calmly explained what was going on and asked for his help. Joey agreed, saying he might a well since he had finally cracked. I held my breath as he raced forward and attacked with his sword.

White Magical Hat was destroyed, and as Bakura's Life Points went down, I saw him clutch his chest and felt pain throw through him. "Ah!" My empathy was triggered, and out of instinct, I moved towards the spirit.

Yugi grabbed my arm and sat me back down. "No," he said firmly.

A wave of guilt flashed through. "Sorry. My powers don't discriminate." And they wouldn't until I could control them better. Why was I so useless?

The Spirit of the Ring placed a monster card face down. Before Yugi could stop him, Joey ran to destroy it. Unfortunately, the card was Morphing Jar, and both players had to draw anew hand. Thankfully, Yugi did not have any soul cards in his hand. I felt him tense up as he looked at his new cards.

I leaned over and viewed his cards. My eyes widened. He was holding the Dark Magician! I knew what Yugi must be thinking. I nodded at him, letting him know he should play the card. Well, it was time for my new friend to find out the truth.

After Bakura played a monster in defense, and a magic or trap card, Yugi played the Dark Magician in attack mode. Sure enough, little Yugi appeared on the field dressed as his favorite card while the Spirit of the Puzzle stayed beside me. Then the spirit played Reborn the Monster to bring Tristan back onto the field.

"But just one second ago, I was up there," Yugi said, staring up at the Spirit.

"Yeah," said Tristan. "If you're down here, who's up there?"

"I don't know?"

"Don't you?" said the Spirit beside me.

"I tried to tell you..." I said with a small smile.

Yugi glanced down. "Well, I have noticed that, sometimes when I duel, it feels as if someone is guiding me. And sometimes it's like I can hear a strong voice calling out to me from my Millennium Puzzle. An ancient, powerful voice."

"A spirit," I said.

"Whoa, Samia really can sense spirits!" Joey said.

"I'm not sure what it's all about, guys," said Yugi, "but I'm pretty sure we can trust him, whoever he is." He smiled at me. "What do you think, Samia?"

I nodded. "We can trust him. I can tell. He's good. You're both very good."

"Hey," said Joey, "if the big guy is okay in your book, then he's okay by me."

"Yeah!" said Tristan.

Yugi smiled at his friends before glancing up at the Spirit. "So, now what?"

"Maybe we should try and find Tea?" Tristan suggested.

"She must still be in the deck."

"Then we should try to win this thing before her card gets played!" Joey said, full of determination.

The duel continued. Yugi attacked, triggering another Morphing Jar that caused both players to pick a new hand. I wished I had paid more attention to the game when Bakura had tried to teach it to me. If I knew his cards, then maybe I could help the Spirit of the Puzzle.

I sensed tension in the Spirit when he pulled Tea's favorite card. I could tell he was anxious about playing it lest he put her in danger. The Dark Bakura seemed to realize this as well, but he was amused but it. After taunting him, he laid down a trap card. "Just Desserts!" he announced. I think you'll find it will help you come to grips with your present situation. Just Desserts takes 500 points from each of your monsters on the field, and you'll feel like each and every point has been ripped from your beating heart."

"No!" I cried. Without thinking, I gripped the Spirit of the Puzzle's arm. As I did so, I felt great pain course through me, and it was worse than the usual feelings of empathy. I had literally taken some of his pain from him!

He looked at me in shock. "Why did you do that?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. Then I shook my head. "I don't know. I just wanted to help."

"I may have made a mistake in letting you two find each other," Dark Bakura said with narrowed eyes.

The Other Yugi finally played Tea's card in defense mode. I watched as the girl appeared under a card. The boys immediately tried to hide her from view, but Bakura saw her anyway. After explaining everything to her, Yugi ran forward to attack Yugi's face down card. He destroyed the monster, but he suddenly doubled over in pain. I clenched my teeth and hissed as I felt something of what he was feeling. He was going numb!

Bakura chuckled. "You can't attack an Electric Wizard without some rather shocking feedback, a lesson your little Yugi won't soon forget."

The Spirit of the Puzzle responded by laying down a trap card. Then Dark Bakura played Man-Eater Bug, which would automatically destroy one creature on the field once it was flipped up. The moment one of them attacked, the card would activate. My heart beat rapidly as I felt the fear from my new friends. However, the trap card on our side of the field could destroy the card without any damage, yet it required one sacrifice.

Joey decided he would set off the trap and save everyone else. I shut my eyes, not wanting to see this. I barely noticed that I was gripping the Spirit's arm tightly. We were both nervous and tense.

"Joey, wait!" Yugi called.

"It's too late!" Tea cried.

Joey ran over to Bakura's card and held his sword over it. The Man-Eater Bug appeared with Joey on its back. He pleaded for the trap card to be used. The Spirit of the Puzzle nodded and did as he said. I clenched my teeth as I felt the pain of all my friends. Joey was sacrificed to destroy the Man-Eater Bug, and his disappearance caused pain to rip through me, multiplied by the horror and sadness of the others. When would this game end?

"I hope you don't harbor any illusions about rescuing your friend Joey from the graveyard," said the Spirit of the Ring. "You've already played Reborn the Monster, the only way to get him back. And soon the Reaper of Cards will claim his soul forever."

"Shut up," I whimpered, clinging to Other Yugi's arm again.

Tea started to cry, giving me the urge as well. Her tears activated her card's – Magician of Faith – special effect, which allowed the Spirit of the Puzzle to retrieve one magic card from the graveyard. He chose Reborn the Monster, of course, successfully bringing back Joey.

I smiled triumphantly. It looked like the Evil Bakura was underestimating all of us. We were going to win this. We had to!

"You waste your time and your turns rescuing these foolish mortals," said Bakura.

"My friends are never a waste of time," said the other Spirit, glaring at him. "Make your move."

"Oh, I'll move, and you will lose." He laughed. "This is the play that will end the match and win me your Millennium Puzzle." He summoned Lady of Faith in attack mode and then held up Change of Heart.

I gasped. "That's the real Bakura's favorite card!" There was no way...

"And a very magical card it is," said Dark Bakura. "With this card I can turn Yugi against his comrades. The very friends he sought to protect he will now destroy.

"No, I refuse!" Yugi said defiantly.

"You won't have a choice in the matter. The Change of Heart card allows me to control any opposing monster, and I choose you, little Yugi."

"Leave the young one out of this," said the Spirit of the Puzzle. He was angrier than I had ever seen him before. He must actually care a lot about Yugi.

"Why should I? By simply destroying him, I defeat you as well."

"And what do you have against him?" I said.

"You already know too much."

I grit my teeth in frustration. Too much? I didn't know anything! Who were these spirits, and why was the Dark Bakura the only one who seemed to know what was going on? I was starting to think my mother was right.

Bakura looked at the other spirit again. "You're here to guide and protect him?" More words I did not understand. "Protect him against this!" He placed Change of Heart on the field.

Yugi was blinded by a bright light that came from the card. When the light faded, standing there in costume was my friend Bakura. "Bakura!" I cried, feeling happy and relieved to know he was safe.

"Bakura, so your soul was sealed into your favorite card too," said Yugi.

"I want to help, but we have to act quickly, Yugi," Bakura said as he moved and took control of Dark Bakura's Lady of Faith instead of Dark Magician Yugi. "I've taken over one of his cards instead of yours. I'll control her while you attack me. You can win against the Evil Bakura."

My heart nearly stopped at his words. "No! Then you'll be destroyed!"

"I don't care. It's better than being enslaved by an evil spirit."

Tears finally broke free as I shook my head. For once, it was my own emotions that were consuming me. "No. You can't leave me. You promised!"

Bakura smiled gently at me. "And this is how I'm keeping my promise. Yugi, both Yugi's, make sure to protect Samia."

"You two are pathetic," Dark Bakura growled.

I could not believe what I was hearing. I turned to the Spirit of the Puzzle and clutched his arm. "You said you'd help him!"

"And I will," the Spirit said with usual familiar confidence. "Friendship will win today." His forehead glowed with the same eye that was on the Millennium Items, and his Puzzle shook. I had to let go of him as I felt incredible power too strong for me to endure. "If the evil power of Bakura's Millennium Ring can pull souls from people, perhaps the power of my Millennium Puzzle can put them back."

I watched in awe as the two Bakuras were suddenly flipped. My best friend Bakura appeared surprised that he was now the one dueling, and the Spirit of the Ring was horrified that he was now the Change of Heart card. I winced, knowing what was coming. It did not matter that he was the bad guy; I would still feel his pain.

"Listen closely, Yugi," said the Spirit of the Puzzle. "Use the power of the Dark Magician. Send him to the graveyard! Now!"

"You got it. Dark Magic Attack!" Yugi released his attack. I clenched my teeth as I felt the Spirit of the Ring disappear. Then I relaxed when he was gone and I felt relief. He had done it.

Only partly unconsciously this time, I turned flung my arms around my new spirit friend. "Thank you," I whispered. He was surprised at first, but then he hugged me back with tenderness and warmth. I tried to transfer some of my gratefulness and happiness to him so he would know how I felt. It was much easier than using words.

"You're welcome," he said just as softly.

My smile faded as I pulled away. "You have to go now?" I could already feel that we were being pulled out of the Shadow Realm.

He nodded. "I'll be back. We will see each other again."

I smiled. That should not have made me happy, but it did. What of mother's warning? But nothing in me – not my intuition or my heart – told me that desiring to see him was bad. I decided to let go of it for now.

I shut my eyes as I felt myself land in the real world again. When I opened them, I brightened upon seeing Bakura and Yugi. "Bakura!" I raced forward and nearly jumped on my friend.

Bakura laughed as he held me tightly. "It's good to see you too."

I took a step back and grinned at him. "I'm glad you're safe."

Bakura smiled. "Thanks to Yugi."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you what was going on," I said, turning to Yugi. "I knew you had power that could help, but I was afraid you wouldn't agree."

Yugi shook his head. "It's alright. I understand. But next time, feel free to ask for my assistance. We're friends now, right?"

I smiled. "Yeah." Remembering something, I glanced at Bakura. "Yugi's here because Pegasus stole his grandfather's soul. We can stay with him to help him, right?"

"Of course," said Bakura.

"Thanks, guys," said Yugi.

My eyes fell to the Millennium Ring around Bakura's neck. I could still sense something coming from it, but it was not nearly as dark as before. Mt friend put a hand on my shoulder. "I'm fine now, Samia." I could only nod in response.

Joey, Tristan, and Tea, who had been asleep up until then, finally stirred. "I just had a dream Bakura went totally mental," said Tristan.

"Same here," said Joey. "Last time I snooze with dueling cards under my pillow."

Bakura, Yugi, and I walked over to them. "Sleep well, guys?" said Bakura with a bright smile.

"Bakura!" Tristan and Joey cried, hugging each other.

I broke out into laughter. He had totally done that on purpose. Many people thought Bakura was completely innocent and naïve, but I knew how playful he could be. Everyone else started laughing when Joey and Tristan realized they were awkwardly hugging each other and stumbled to the ground when they tried to break apart.

"I dreamt we were dressed as Duel Monsters," Tea said suddenly. "And there were two Yugis."

Yugi, Bakura, and I exchanged awkward glanced. Maybe it was better they did not remember. For now. I could feel the Spirit's presence in the Millennium Puzzle, which was oddly comforting. If we were ever in trouble again, I knew he would be back.

Just then, a feminine scream rang throughout the woods, setting me on high alert. I took a second to recognize that my hearing a call for help had switched my instincts from running to wanting to assist.

"What was that?" said Joey as we all ran in the direction of the scream.

"I don't know," said Yugi, "but whatever it is, we'll face it together."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this was a long one. I hope you're all still with me. In the future I'll summarize some duels/episodes like I did in the beginning of this chapter, and other times I'll describe them more like the remaining of the chapter. Let me know what you think.


	5. Chapter 4

" _Mysterious,_  
That's what I call you  
I'm curious about you  
I'm scared, and I'm not sure that you are safe  
But your eyes seem to say that you are good"

– "Lion" by Rebecca St. James

Joey noted that the scream we heard sounded like Mai's voice. Sure enough, as we followed the sound, we eventually came upon a dueling arena. We were just in time to see Mai lose a duel against a tough looking man.

"Mai, are you ok?" said Yugi as we ran over to her.

Mai glanced at us in surprise. "You're too late," she said, sadness rolling off her like waves.

It turned out that the guy with a scary aura was Panik, and he was paid by Pegasus to eliminate duelists from the tournament by beating them in duels and taking all off their star chips. He was an eliminator – and he had just defeated Mai. I felt bad for the woman. She came off rough, but it felt like we were starting to see who she really was.

Panik laughed. "She was one of my easiest victims yet." He pushed Mai towards us.

"You creep!" Joey exclaimed. He started to run towards him, but Bakura and Tristan held him back.

I clenched my teeth as I took in not only Mai's emotions but those of my friends. This was totally unfair. Mai had always come off as condiment and determined, but I could sense she had a broken spirit. What right did this Panik guy have to do that to her? I caught Yugi's eye, and I could feel sympathy coming from him. Could he feel Mai's emotions through me because they were so strong or did he have a natural – normal – ability for empathy?

"Firsts aren't the answer," Yugi said, glancing at Joey. "Violence won't solve anything." He lowered his head, and I suddenly felt a wave of complicated emotions coming from him that overpowered Mai's. "I've dealt with a lot of bullies in my life and I'm afraid there's only one way to deal with them." I felt shocked as I watched him walk over to Panik. He had been bullied? What he said next surprised me even more. "You have to stand up to them."

His courage amazed me. It was clear that he had a lot of problems in his life, but he had learned to deal with them the right way, which was more than I could say for myself. I sucked in a sharp breath at the power I felt as the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle took over. "A-are you sure about this?" I said.

The Spirit turned and looked me right in the eyes. "I am." A shiver ran down my spine, yet I felt surprisingly calm. I nodded. My emotions were in check. Bakura glanced at me curiously, but I could not read his feelings.

Yugi challenged Panik to a duel. The two of them took their places on the arena. Panik proceeded to taunt and threaten his opponent. According to Mai, this guy was ruthless and even had her scared. I bit my lip as I watched in worry. I told myself that Yugi and the Spirit were strong. I sensed no fear from either of them. They had more confidence than I could ever hope for.

Yugi wagered all of his star chips to get back Mai, which Panik agreed to. "The bet makes no difference to me," he said.

"What do you mean?" said Yugi.

"What I mean, little Yugi, is that when you duel against Panik, you're putting just more than your measly star chips on the line." He activated a device that shackled Yugi to the platform by his ankles. Then flames roared in a fountain by his sides, barely missing him. "Much more."

"Yugi!" I cried. Something propelled my forward, but I was held back. I turned to see Bakura looking at me with wide eyes. "I – I'm fine." But I was shaking in fear. As my friend touched my arm to comfort me, I realized something. "He's not the one who's afraid. It's me." Yugi was not intimidated in the least. I was the one who was afraid for him. Something flickered in Bakura's eyes, but he did not move his hand. I bit my lip and looked back at the dueling platform.

The flames ceased. After more taunting that did not faze Yugi, the duel finally began. I could feel the worry of the people around me. To negate its effects, I focused on the powerfully positive emotions coming from Yugi and the Spirit.

Panik's strategy was to use mind games to beat his opponent. He had apparently gotten to Mai. However, it took a lot more than that for Yugi to lose his cool. I admired him for the way he was able to confidently stand up to the aggressor. Panik had covered the field in darkness, giving himself a huge advantage. It was extremely difficult for Yugi to attack when he could not see what he was up against.

Finally, Yugi started to come back, and he said he would defeat Panik in five turns. The fire was turned on for a few seconds, but Yugi remained calm. Then he used Swords of Revealing Light, bringing Panik's monsters into the light. I wondered how he could be so confident facing the darkness when I had always run from it.

But then Panik put all his monsters in defense mode and placed a defensive shield across his side of the field, making him untouchable. "I hate to say it," said Mai, "but Yugi really doesn't stand a chance. Breaking duelists is what Panik does for a living. Panik is brutal, ruthless – everything the ultimate duelist needs to be."

"You're wrong!" I said more forcefully than intended, causing everyone to look at me in surprise. "You don't have to be like Panik to win. Yugi is better than that, and his inner strength will allow him to win."

"How would you know?"

"Intuition," I said. That probably did not mean much to her, but it was how I knew Yugi could win this.

"Samia's right, Mai," Bakura said. "You've become so cynical about Duel Monsters, and you don't understand Yugi at all. Really, there's much more to him than meets the eye."

I glanced back at him and smiled. He nodded at me in return.

Yugi was not worried about the duel either. This time he taunted Panik, claiming he won through intimidation and not skill. He understood his strategy, and he would beat him. Angry, Panik blasts the fire jets at full force. Yugi just stepped out of the way, and even I felt no fear this time. There were two turns left before Yugi claimed he would win.

Yugi summoned Gaia the Fierce Knight and used a Polymerization card to fuse him with Curse of Dragon to form Gaia the Dragon Champion. On his next and last turn, he summoned Catapult Turtle, which he used to launch Gaia the Dragon Champion and destroy Panik's defenses. I did not fully understand what happened next because the game was still new to me, but the end result was clear: Yugi had won.

I was about to yell out a congratulations, but Panik's fury stopped me. "I may not have defeated you, Yugi," he exclaimed, "but I can still eliminate you!" He smashed his fist down on the control panel for the fire jets and activated them all, engulfing the whole dueling platform in fire.

"Yugi!" I cried out. This guy was crazy! That fire was going to kill him! I leapt forward, but once again, Bakura held me back.

"You'll be hurt too," he exclaimed. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close to his body to keep me from moving. I shuddered and buried my face in his chest. Yugi was still latched onto the platform by his ankles and could not escape. I couldn't take this...

"We'll see who's the coward now," Panik said. I watched as two more gets protruded from his side of the platform, and the fire coming from them was aimed right for Yugi's head. "Fire!"

"No!" I moaned.

Suddenly, I felt a rush of power come from Yugi – actually, the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle. Bakura pulled me back as the fire reached past the dueling arena, forming a huge cyclone. The two of us crashed to the ground and lay side by side, but I had no time to worry about the fall. "He's fine," I murmured.

I lifted my head and looked at the fire. I could not hear what was going on, but I could _feel_ it. The Spirit was doing whatever he had done to the imposter Kaiba. Sending him to the Shadow Realm? I shivered as I felt Panik's terror. Sitting beside me, Bakura put his arm around me in an attempt to comfort me. I shut my eyes tightly. I may have intensely disliked Panik, but I could still, feel his pain as my own. Wasn't there another way?

I shuddered. The heat of the flames finally died down, and I slowly stood up. Yugi was perfectly fine while Panik was nowhere to be seen. Yugi was released from the shackles and made his way over to us. I stared at him with wide eyes, still shaken from that whole experience.

"Yugi, you were incredible," Tea said.

"Your Millennium Puzzle has more power than we thought," said Tristan.

"Not only did it protect Yugi, but it also saved all of us from the flames too," Joey said.

Yugi did not acknowledge us. Instead, he walked past us to Mai. "Yugi, I don't know what to say," she said. She was shocked and confused.

"Here." Yugi opened his hand. "These star chips are yours."

But Mai did not take them. It seemed her pride was in the way. Instead of feeling annoyed, I felt sympathy for her. I could tell she had a hard life up until now and did not think she could trust anyone. She could not comprehend that Yugi had done all this out of the goodness of his heart.

"There's no point in arguing," Joey said as he walked over to them. "She's way too thickheaded." He then swiped the star chips from Yugi's hand. "If she'd rather be booted off the island, I'll take them." He laughed.

Mai suddenly became angry. "You think me losing all my star chips is funny, Joey Wheeler?"

"I thought you didn't want them, Mai." He held the chips high up in his hand while she tried to reach them.

"Give them back!"

"Of course you can have them." Joey placed the star chips in her outstretched hand. "They're yours."

"Really, Joey?" Mai said in astonishment.

"Didn't you learn anything from this duel? You can't always keep your defenses up 'cause they'll just get between you and the other people trying to be your friends. So can't you let your shield down just this one time?"

Yugi nodded in agreement.

Joey grinned. "I'm such a sensitive guy!"

My mind drifted to the duel and everything that had transpired. I had felt so many emotions, and only some of them were my own. And that ending. It was a good thing Panik was gone now, but...

"Samia?"

I looked up and blinked. Tea, Tristan, and Joey had started to walk away. Yugi - rather, the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle – stood before me. "I sense uneasiness," he said. "Are you afraid of me?"

I was surprised he seemed to know what was going through my head. Was I afraid of him for what he had done? He had given Panik a chance to survive, and the eliminator was a danger to us and every other duelist on the island. While not clear self-defense, the Spirit's actions were pretty close to it.

And looking into his deep, purple eyes, I felt no fear. I felt something else that I could not describe. I remembered how heroic he had appeared during the duel. I shook my head. "No. I think you're amazing. Both of you." I was not usually so forthright with my feelings, but I felt he needed to know.

A small smile spread across his face. "Thank you."

It was the first smile I had seen from him and not Yugi, and it left me happy. Without another word, the two of us followed our friends back to the woods.

"Yugi, wait!" Mai called.

We all stopped to look back at her.

"I'll repay you for what you did today," she said. "You're the one who won these. So far as I'm concerned, I still owe you." She looked at the star chips in her hand. "More than I've ever owed anyone." She looked up with a smile. "And when we finally do face each other in a duel, it will be an honorable one."

"Sounds good," Tea said.

"Yes," Yugi agreed. "An honorable one."

\---

Once we got back to the campsite, Tristan, Tea, and Joey wasted no time falling asleep. Tea entered Mai's tent while the boys lay on the ground next to the tent. Meanwhile, a little ways off, I sat in between Yugi and Bakura and listened to them talk about their Millennium Items.

Bakura's ring was pointing towards Pegasus' castle. It appeared that it pointed towards other Millennium Items like it had with Yugi's Puzzle the first time the two of them had met. I too felt an ominous presence coming from the castle, though I was not sure if it was from Pegasus' Millennium Eye or the man himself. One thing was certain: we were in for a whole heap of trouble once we finally faced off against him.

The conversation faded. I was about to suggest we sleep as well when Bakura spoke up: "Samia, do you mind if we speak alone? If that's okay with you, Yugi."

I blinked. "Sure." I felt many conflicting emotions coming from him, making it hard to predict what he wanted to talk about.

"That's fine," Yugi said with a bright smile. "You two haven't had a chance to be alone all day. I understand."

I gave Yugi a small smile before following Bakura into the trees. He stopped with his back towards me. He was hesitant and nervous, and his emotions were contagious. "So..." I said awkwardly. "Crazy day, huh? I'm glad you're alright."

Bakura turned around. He had on a smile that was sorrowfully beautiful. "And I'm glad you're safe. I'm sorry for everything that happened. I never should have brought you here. I don't know what came over me."

"It was the Spirit of the Ring," I said. "You were under his influence. It wasn't your fault."

"Still, I promised to protect you, and I failed." I sensed guilt along with something else.

I bit my lip and glanced down. What he said was true, but... "It's fine. Nothing happened to me."

"But what if something had?" There was anguish in his eyes as he stepped closer to me. "I could never forgive myself if I hurt you."

His emotions were affecting my own, and I had to work hard to keep tears away. "The Spirit is gone. He's not going to hurt me." I moved closer and stared into my eyes.

"What if he comes back?" Fear.

I closed the distance between us by wrapping my arms around him. He was surprised, but then he held me tightly. I felt all of his emotions at once, and I knew he felt mine. I tried to calm him through this connection like he had calmed me so many times in the past. "Then we'll face him together," I whispered.

He pulled away and wiped his wet eyes. This time his smile was real, and it lifted my heart. "Thank you, Samia."

"Nothing is going to happen. We're going to get off this island, and things will go back to the way they were before."

His smile faded, and I felt those conflicting emotions return. "I'm not so sure about that, Samia. Something has changed between us. I know you feel it too."

I widened my eyes as my heart sped up. "That's not sure. Sure, some things have changed. I've made new friends. Isn't that a good thing?"

Bakura smiled. "It is a very good thing. I've been wanting to see you make new friends for a long time. It's not good for you to depend so much on me – not that I mind. It would be selfish of me to be upset about that."

"They can be your friends too. They're good people."

Bakura nodded. "They are. Especially Yugi. You seem to have become fond of him quickly."

My heart tightened. Now I knew what ailed him. "Sure. He saved me. And you. He's a good friend to everyone."

"I know. I like him too."

"But that doesn't mean anything has changed between us! I don't like him more than you."

"I'm not saying you do. There just seems to be something about him that attracts you. Or maybe it's not him. Is it that Spirit?"

His question caused me to freeze. His emotions were calm, almost like he was trying to hold everything back. His smile did not make me feel at ease. "I – I'm just sensitive to magic, so of course I'm curious about that Spirit. It doesn't mean anything."

"I wonder about that."

I swallowed hard. His true emotions were blocked from me. I could tell I would not be getting very far with him tonight. "My new friends don't take anything away from what we have. We're still going to be best friends when we get off this island, and I'll forget all about magic and that Spirit."

"Okay, Samia. If you say so."

There was something about his calm expression that sent a shiver down my spine. _He's lying._ "No one and nothing is going to come between us. Everything is going to be fine."

"Okay."

I bit my lip, not knowing what else to say. I took his hand, which felt cold in mine, and led him back to where Yugi laying staring at the sky.

"Is everything alright?" the boy said, glancing at us.

"We're fine," Bakura said. "I'm going to sleep. Good night, Samia. Yugi."

"Good night, Bakura."

I sat down between them and rearrange my backpack. I frowned when Bakura rolled away from me. "Good night," I whispered. Then I lay down and shut my eyes.

\---

A loud, whirling noise caused me to sit straight up. I looked towards the sound and saw a helicopter about to land near our campsite. Something about it felt familiar, but my senses were too overloaded to try to see if I could feel whoever was inside. I shut my eyes so the lights would not blind me. Only when everything subsided did I get up and follow the others to where they were gathered in front of the helicopter.

Seto Kaiba stepped out, briefcase in hand. He looked and felt like he meant business, though I could tell it had nothing to do with us. _Mokuba..._

"I haven't seen you since our duel, Yugi," Kaiba said as my friend walked up to him.

Yugi nodded. "Oh. Here." He pulled out Kaiba's deck, which he had retrieved when he defeated the fake Kaiba, and held it out to him. "Your deck. I've been keeping it for you. Just think of it as a thank you for that duel you helped me win."

"Thanks," Kaiba said as he grabbed the deck. "You'll be compensated for all of your trouble."

I sighed and shook my head. My brother's boss was the same as always. At least he could acknowledge when someone had done something for him.

Kaiba's eyes fell on me as I walked forward to stand next to Yugi. "What are you doing here, Samia? You're not a duelist. And since when are you two friends?"

I smiled sheepishly. "Uh, it's complicated."

Kaiba did not comment and turned to leave, but Yugi called out to him: "Actually, Kaiba, I was thinking, since we're all headed for Pegasus' castle, you could stick with us. Of course, you'll need some star chips."

Kaiba stopped walking and stood with his back to Yugi. "Don't be so naïve. This isn't just a game for me, Yugi. I'm going after Pegasus to save my brother." He turned to look at us. "Not so I can win some silly prize. Have fun with your tournament."

I sensed Yugi's sadness and disappointment from beside me, and it was too much for me to bear. "We want to save Mokuba too," I said. "We can help you!"

"I don't need your help. I can save him on my own."

I grit my teeth. I saw where he was coming from, but he didn't understand. "If Pegasus was normal evil, then I would agree you can handle it, but this time there's magic involved!"

Kaiba gave me a hard look. "Not this again. Mokuba may buy your nonsense, but I don't believe in fairytales."

I flinched. My sister had innocently told Mokuba about my powers, and he had told his brother. Of course, Kaiba thought I was making it all up. I felt sad as he walked away.

"That snobby little..." Joey growled. Then he ran after the businessman. "Hey!" He grabbed Kaiba by his jacket and forced him to look at him. "Listen, tough guy, I can understand you wanting to get your little brother back and all, but don't go thinking that you're the only one here with a noble cause, capiche? We've all got something worth fighting for, so if you want a piece of Pegasus, get in line or deal with me. That's right, hotshot, I ain't scared of you."

"Nice grip," said Kaiba, grabbing Joey's hands with his own. "Let me show you mine." He then threw him to the ground.

I winced in pain. "Joey!" I ran over to him to make sure he was alright. Yugi was soon right there with me.

"That was uncalled for!" Bakura said in anger.

Joey stood up, insisting he was fine. Then he was off on Kaiba again. He challenged him to a duel, but Kaiba did not want to waste his time. It was hard for me to hear the insults the two of them hurled at each other. I wanted to tell Joey to calm down, but I did not think I was close enough to him for it to have any effect on him.

Finally, Kaiba agreed to duel if they used his new holographic dueling system. He opened his briefcase and flung a spherical object at Joey. It was a high tech duel disk that created holograms without a duel arena. Joey slipped the sphere, which had placed to put his cards and deck, on his arm while Kaiba did the same. Bakura held the other spherical object, which attached to Joey's with a cord.

"Ok, now what happens?" said Joey.

"First insert your dueling deck into the display drive recognizer," said Kaiba. "A Life Point count will light up and keep score for you the entire match. Then choose a card to play and set it on the digital card reader. I think the rest will explain itself." He played Battle Ox in attack mode and then threw his card reader like a playing disk. After landing on the grand, a very lifelike hologram appeared that would have made me shiver if I could not sense that it was not real.

Joey played Armored Lizard, and the duel began.

One by one, Kaiba destroyed all of Joey's monsters while Joey inflicted no damage on his opponent. The physical activity of flinging the disk also seemed to be wearing on my friend. After awhile, he fell to his knees in exhaustion.

Kaiba laughed. "That's right, Joey, fall to the dirt like a whimpering dog."

"Come on, Joey," Tea said. "You're the best at finding ways to come back from behind."

"She's right, Joey," Bakura said.

"Now get up," Tristan said. "No way Kaiba gets away with calling you a canine."

"You can do it," I said weakly. I was almost as tired as he was from feeling all of his emotions.

Joey stood up with new determination. He played his best card: Red Eyes Black Dragon. Finally, he was able to destroy one of Kaiba's monsters. However, on Kaiba's turn, he summoned _his_ best monster, the Blue Eyes White Dragon! Red Eyes was no match for the stronger dragon, and this last attack brought Joey's Life Points down to zero. Joey fell to his knees again, devastated.

"That's right, Joey," Kaiba sneered. "Stay down. Stay down like the sniveling, defeated dog I've turned you into."

"Are you alright, Joey?" Yugi said. He ran to his friend, and the rest of us were at his heels.

"It's okay, kiddo," Tea said.

"I'd say my duel disk system has proved quite effective," Kaiba said in a snobby tone. "Not only did its stunning realism jar Joey into complete and utter submission, but just look at him. He's moping like a frightened dog with his tail between his legs, which is exactly how I intend to leave Pegasus.

"Enough!" I shouted. I glared at Kaiba while putting a hand on Joey's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. "You won your duel, now leave him alone!"

Joey shrugged off my hand. "I don't need you defending me," he said rather harshly.

I recoiled as if struck, feeling wounded. "But I-"

"Just leave me alone."

Yugi gave me a sympathetic look. "He doesn't mean it."

I wasn't so sure. I bit my lip and shifted my gaze to the ground. Kaiba hadn't seemed to want my sympathy either. What use was feeling other people's emotions if I could do nothing to help them? All my powers did was increase my suffering without decreasing anyone else's. Bakura put and arm around my shoulder, but this time it gave me little comfort.

I listened as Kaiba explained how merciless Pegasus was. In the Intercontinental Tournament in New York City, Pegasus was up against a man named Bandit Keith in the final duel. Pegasus toyed with him the whole time, and in the end, he was able to predict his cards and defeat him. Kaiba did not know how he had won, but he was confident that is new duel disk system would give him the edge he needed to beat him.

Yugi mentioned that something similar had happened to him when he had dueled Pegasus. Somehow, Pegasus knew which cards he was going to play. It was like he could see his cards. I bet it had something to do with his Millennium Eye.

"But Kaiba," Yugi said, "that's still no excuse to take it out on us and turn Joey into your new system's guinea pig."

"Perhaps," Kaiba said, "but that system could be my only way to beat Pegasus, so I had to test it. This is war for me, Yugi. Your friend was a casualty."

"But we can help you," I tried to say lamely.

Kaiba shot me a glare. "Stay out of this."

I cringed as I slunk back and shut my mouth. Why was there nothing I could do to help anyone?

"Kaiba," Yugi said to his retreating back, "we may not agree with each other's methods, but at least we both understand that Pegasus must be stopped. I hope you succeed in rescuing your brother."

"And I hope you succeed in your ventures," Kaiba said. "Let's just hope our paths don't cross again before this is all over."

His parting words left me with a bad feeling in my stomach. I wondered if it was my intuition.

"Are you alright?" Bakura asked as we returned to our sleeping area.

"I'm fine," I said. I was too tired to talk about it. I got down on the ground and laid my had on my backpack. This time, I rolled away from my best friend.

I started drifting off right away. My last thoughts were about my powers and my uselessness. Was there not anyone I had helped by being able to feel their emotions? Did no one need me? I wanted to help Yugi and the others, but I felt so helpless...

***

_I remembered the heat. Mom and Grandma walked on either side of me as we made our way through the town. The people going about their business had dark skin like my grandma and wore unusual clothing I had only seen in pictures._

_There was loud conversation. The world spun._

_Then I was in darkness. It was the kind of darkness that suffocated and choked out life. No, those were not my feelings. Whose were they? I walked down the eerie hallway to try to find out._

_I was alone. I was always alone. Why did no one ever stay with me? I had my family, but that was not enough. Was there anyone else who felt alone as I did?_

_I entered a room. It was bare except for a bed and a few toys. On the bed sat a boy. He had his knees pulled up to his chest with his arms wrapped around them. I sensed distress and sorrow. I climbed onto the bed beside him._

_"Go away!" he shouted. "You don't understand."_

_"I do understand." I put my hand on his shoulder to share his pain. Then I focused on showing him sympathy and compassion. He looked at me with wide eyes. "I can feel your emotions. I can try to make you feel better."_

_The boy smiled. He took my hand from his shoulder and held it in his. "Let's be friends." His violet eyes sparkled with childlike innocence. We jumped off the bed and ran out of the room._

_My vision blurred again. I was back in the town, but this time the boy was with me. "See, the light is good!" I exclaimed._

_"We can't stay here forever," he said. He was happy but sadness threatened to take over. "I have to go back. You have to leave."_

_"Then I'll come back to get you." I walked up to him and put an arm around him. "I'll show you the light again."_

_"You are my light."_

_I was surprised when he wrapped his arms around me in a hug, but I held him back tightly. Our feels for each other flowed through, creating an indescribable bond._

_"It's time to wake up!" a familiar voice shouted._

_I pulled away and looked around. "Joey?" I said. The world around me became black, and my heartbeat quickened when I realized the boy was no longer there. "No! Don't go!"_

_"Wake up!"_

My eyes shot open.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first day is finally over. I did not realize how many episodes fit into an entire day. Anyway, I hope you're liking it so far.


	6. Chapter 5

"Everybody, wake up!"

I slowly sat up at the sound of Joey's voice. I groaned as I clutched my head. What was with that dream? It felt almost like a memory. No, it was memories mashed together by my subconscious. It was hard to distinguish which parts of it were real.

"What's wrong?" Bakura said from beside me, looking at me with concern.

"I had a weird dream." I paused. "Did I ever tell you I've actually been to Egypt?"

"I think I remember you mentioning that once. It was before we met, right?"

I nodded. "I was seven. I remember because that's the age all females with my ability in my family have to go to Egypt. I had a dream about my visit. I can't remember much. After my parents died, I pushed everything about Egypt out of my mind. I think being here and with the Millennium Items is bringing it all back."

"That would make sense. What was your dream about?"

"Mostly about the time I spent with a friend I made there." I closed my eyes and saw his face. I knew he was real. I wished I could remember his name. It had been so long ago... I knew I would recognize him if I saw him again. I would know his smile and those eyes anywhere. How could I have ever forgotten? I had not had many true friends before Bakura.

I opened my eyes to see my friend staring at me curiously. "I paid more attention to relationships then the real reason for my visit," I said sheepishly. "My mom and grandma talked about magic, but I can't remember much about that. I think what's happening now might be connected. I can't remember."

Bakura gave me a small smile. "If it's important, I'm sure it will come back to you. For now, let's focus on getting off this island in one piece."

I nodded. He was right. Still, I could not shake the feeling that I had just stepped into my past and future all at once. Despite it all, I was comforted by the knowledge that my powers had been useful to someone at some point. I had comforted that boy in my dreams. I wasn't useless. Where was that boy now? Still in Egypt, probably. I hoped he was doing well. I shook off my thoughts so I could focus on the present.

Once everyone else was finally ready to go, we realized Mai wasn't with us. Tea emerged from the tent and explained that Mai had left her bag of food and a note. The note said that she owed Yugi eight star chips. She must have gone on ahead. Soon, we were on our way as well.

Everyone chatted about the day ahead as we walked, though I remained silent. I needed to conserve my energy for when it mattered. After some time, Joey claimed that he heard someone following us. Tea and Tristan dismissed his claims, but I focused on my powers and tried to discern the truth.

"I think he may be right," I said. "I sense something."

"I told you!" Joey said triumphantly. He then ran forward.

"Where are you going?" Tristan said.

"To stalk them!" Joey called back. And then he was out of sight.

I exchanged a look with Bakura. Like that was a good idea. I shook my head and sighed. I would have to pay even more attention to our surroundings now.

The conversation died as we continued to walk. Soon, I got the sense that something was wrong. I sensed uneasiness from my companions. I knew we were all thinking the same thing.

"Joey's been gone an awfully long time," Yugi said.

"You don't suppose he got lost?" said Tea.

"No way, but he could have been challenged to a duel."

"I bet that's it," said Tristan.

"I agree," I said. It made the most sense, and my intuition conformed this.

"Okay, let's split up and try to find him," Bakura said.

"Right. Yugi and Tea, you head that way." Tristan pointed down a path. "Bakura, Samia, and I will go this way." He immediately darted down another path, and Bakura and I followed him.

I focused on my intuition in order to find Joey. I was not skilled at tracking yet, so I would only be able to detect him if he was close by. Unfortunately, after searching for a long time, none of us could find any clues. Eventually, Bakura, Tristan, and I caught back up with Yugi and Tea, who had not caught sight of our friend either. We all resumed searching together.

Soon, I noticed a cave up ahead. There was something bugging me about it, but before I could point it out, Tea said: "Guys, look." She picked something off of the ground and showed it to Tristan, who was standing beside her.

"Hey, that's Joey's wallet," Tristan said.

"With a picture of his sister, Serenity," Tea added.

"Joey would never be careless enough to lose that. His sister means more to him than anything. This is starting to smell like foul play."

"Guys, I sense something about that cave," I said, pointing to it.

"Do you think Joey could be in there?" said Yugi.

I nodded. "I think there's a good chance." My intuition could be wrong, but we had searched everywhere else.

"I don't like the look of this," Tristan said before running towards the cave. The rest of us followed.

"Neither do I," said Yugi.

A shiver ran down my spine as soon as I entered the dark cave. Bats flew out, but that was not what was getting to me. I felt fear, despair, frustration, and the hatred of being trapped. Yet, these were neither my emotions nor the emotions of my companions.

Bakura glanced at me. "Samia?"

I gave him a weak smile. "Just feeling claustrophobic." What was going on?

"What's up with those coffins?" said Tea. Sure enough, there were two coffins staring at us right in the entryway.

"Beats me," Bakura said. "Who'd leave them just standing here?" He walked forward and put his hand on one of the coffins.

"I – I wouldn't do that," I said.

"Don't be silly," Tea said, touching the second coffin with both hands. "It's just a wooden b-" A chain started to move and the coffin opened up, revealing a skeleton that fell on top of Tea. The same thing happened to Bakura's coffin. Then the two of them started running around, freaking out.

By this time, my nerves had calmed and the truth was clear to me. "Guys, they're not real!" I shouted. I tried to send them soothing emotions to get the point across.

I was no help at all. Tristan and Yugi punched the skeletons, making them fall to the ground. Only then did Bakura and Tea stop running. I let out a breath of relief.

"That Pegasus has sure got a sick sense of humor," Tristan said.

"You said it, Tristan," Yugi said.

"Let's just keep going," I said. Bakura smiled sheepishly as he fell in step beside me. I had to admit, that scene would have been quite amusing if our situation were not so dire.

The strange emotions returned as we continued through the cave. Why did the air feel so oppressive? Fragmented images entered my mind. "Bakura," I said tentatively, "can there be a city under the ground?" That was what this place reminded me of.

Bakura looked at me and blinked. "I suppose. Why do you ask?"

I shrugged. "Just a thought I had." I pushed the emotions down and focused on the present. I could figure out what was going on later.

"Let's pick up speed," Yugi suggested. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"I agree," I said.

The five of us raced through the cave. The feeling of my adrenaline pumping drowned out any other emotions I may have been feeling. Unfortunately, that meant that my senses were not at their peak, for when we stopped to catch our breath, I realized that Bakura was not with us.

"Oh no," I murmured. How could I lose track of my best friend? Bakura's scream sent a chill down my spine. "Bakura!"

"Bakura, this way!" Tristan shouted down the tunnel.

"No, he's in trouble!"

The trouble turned out to be a skeleton clinging to Bakura's back. "Help me!" he cried.

My senses immediately told me that this was another prop, but my friends screamed and started running down the tunnel. Sighing, I let Bakura pass me and then followed behind them. "If you slow down I can get it off your back!" I shouted.

I skidded to a stop when I realized we were going downhill. I did not get a warning out in time. Bakura ran faster than the others, and he ran straight into them, causing all four of them to fall to the floor. I winced as I sensed their pain.

"Are you guys alright?" I asked as I approached them.

"We're fine," Tristan said. The head of the skeleton had rolled away from the body after the impact, and he smashed it with his foot. "But from now on, no one pick up any hitchhikers."

I knelt beside Bakura and helped him up. "Sorry," he said with a weak smile.

"Just stay with me," I said gently.

"Guys, we've got a bigger problem," Tristan said. We were now faced with the choice of two tunnels in the cave.

I closed my eyes and tried to sense the direction we should go. I opened them just in time to see Bakura step on a square on the floor that moved.

"My foot!" he exclaimed.

I grabbed him and pulled him back. I had a bad feeling about this. "I – I think we should get out of there," I said. We all stopped when we heard a strange sound coming closer. I held onto Bakura's arm because he was shaking with fear. Seconds later, a huge boulder was seen rolling right towards us.

This time, I screamed right along with my friends. We dashed down the left tunnel, Bakura apologizing the entire way. We were going downhill again, causing the boulder to pick up speed.

Suddenly, Bakura tripped and fell to the ground. I hesitated for a split second, but Yugi pulled my arm and made me keep running. I turned my head away as the boulder ran over him.

"It got Bakura!" Yugi exclaimed.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "Then why don't I feel his pain?" That boulder should have squashed him. Unless... this was another one of Pegasus' tricks!

"Oh no! It's a dead end!" Tristan exclaimed.

"The boulder isn't real!" I shouted.

"You're sure?" Tristan skidded to a stop and spun around. "Then I'll fight it!" He brought his fist back and punched the boulder in the middle. The boulder then popped like a giant balloon, and shreds of it rained around us.

I smiled in relief. "I told you..."

"I guess you do know what you're talking about," Yugi said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"I don't think Pegasus wants to kill us. Don't let fear get in the way."

"Good idea."

"But what happened to Bakura?" Tea asked.

Crap, Bakura! I raced down the tunnel. It did not take long for me to find my friend lying on the ground, whimpering in terror. "It's okay," I said gently as I helped him to his feet. I hugged his side and tried to transmit positive emotions. It was weird for me to be the one comforting him, but I was glad to do it.

"Samia is on lookout," Tristan announced. "Let us know if Pegasus has set up any more thrills."

I nodded. "Of course. Let's get back to finding Joey."

So we continued our search. Finally, I felt the emotions of other people and was able to lead everyone down the correct tunnel. Then a dueling arena came into view. Joey was dueling some creepy looking guy, and his cronies were off to the side helping him.

"Joey!" Yugi shouted. We all stopped a couple of meters from the arena.

Joey was surprised to see us. "Yugi, you're really here."

"What kind of dueling arena is this?"

"Are you crazy?" said Tristan. "Why would you accept a duel in a place like this?"

"Yeah, like I had a choice," said Joey. "Those three creeps there ganged up on me and forced me to this crazy duel."

Tristan tried to stop the duel, but two men got in the way. The leader of the group turned out to be Bandit Keith, the guy Kaiba told us about the previous night. Joey refused to leave the duel because he did not want to lose his star chips. I bit my lip as I watched the duel resume.

Tristan tossed Joey his wallet and reminded him that he was fighting for his sister. This seemed to spur Joey on, and he soon took control of the duel. In the end, he was able to win. Bandit Keith was not happy about this. Still, he retained his arrogance as he walked off, his goons following him.

"Guys, look, I'm really sorry," Joey said. "I did not mean to drag you all into this mess."

"Next time don't be in such a hurry to run off on your own," Tristan said.

"It's alright," Yugi said. "We know that it wasn't your fault, Joey."

"Yeah, I mean, as long as you won the duel, we can forgive you."

"I'll admit you had us worried at first," Tea said.

"But you really came through this time," said Bakura.

"Yeah, good job," I said. The feeling of friendship among everyone had made me smile. I was glad I had found such a great group.

We started to head back the way we had come. I would be glad to get out of this cave. Unfortunately, just as we reached the entrance, we saw a huge boulder – a real one, this time – being pushed in front of the entrance!

"No!" I cried. My claustrophobic feelings returned, and I started to panic.

"Bandit Keith must have done this," said Bakura.

"Come on," Yugi said.

All of us worked together to try to push the boulder out of the way, but it was no use. I slumped to the floor, breathing heavily. What were we supposed to do now? There were so many tunnels in the cave that we could be lost forever.

I sensed something from Bakura and got up to follow him. He was holding up the Millennium Ring and walking around to the entrances of the tunnels. Then I remembered that the Ring pointed to Millennium Items, so it could lead us to Pegasus. The Ring still made me nervous, but it was glad it had some use.

"We should go this way," Bakura said, pointing to the right passage. He explained how the Ring worked, and then we were off.

I walked beside my friend as he led us through many entrances and tunnels. My strange emotions returned, and there was little to distract me this time. Finally, the passage appeared more man-made, signaling we were almost out.

Bakura stopped before a doorway filled with bright light. When the light faded, I saw a large cavernous room with a dueling arena in the middle. There were also identical twins standing there. They called each other the Paradox Brothers, and they challenged us to a double duel to win the chance to answer their riddle to find the way out.

Yugi and Joey agreed to duel, of course. I stood back with the others and thought about their riddle. There was a door behind each brother. The brothers said one of them always lied and one always told the truth. Yugi and Joey had one question each they could ask them. For the life of me, I could not figure out the trick to the riddle.

Joey wagered two star chips, and Yugi wagered four. If they won, they would both have enough to get into Pegasus' castle and the finals of the tournament. This was not a normal duel either. The brothers set up a labyrinth, which acted as a game board. A monster could move as many spaces as its level throughout the maze. Each side had to get to the end of the maze in order to win the duel.

In the end, Joey and Yugi were able to work together and win the duel. I felt relief that h was finally over. We were one step closer to getting off this island. However, we still had to choose which door to go through. We all stood before the two doors, the Paradox Brothers smiling menacingly.

"Which of you brothers is guarding the door that leads out of here?" said the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle.

"If you cherish your lives, you will choose my way," said the first brother.

"Select my side or else you'll pay," said the second brother.

"Anything?" I said to Bakura, looking at the Millennium Ring.

He shook his head. "It won't help us this time. Do you sense anything?"

I smiled sadly. "No."

"The answer is that we can't trust either of these two," the Spirit said. I relaxed slightly as I felt confidence flow through him. He held up a hand that had two coins between his fingers. "We'll decide with these. I marked each coin to represent a different door. The coin that I keep clenched in my fist will be the door that I have chosen." He held a coin in each hand and closed his fingers around them. Then he opened a hand to reveal a coin.

The brothers claimed he had chosen wrong. However, the Spirit smirked at them and revealed the coin in his other hand: it was marked the same as the first coin. Therefore, he had chosen right. If he had picked the other door, then it would have been wrong. The brothers could change which door was the right one. The Spirit had tricked them into choosing the door he had picked by marking the coins the way he had.

"I figured the two of you would pull a stunt like this," said the Spirit, "so I pulled a stunt of my own with these two coins. Instead of marking both with just one symbol, I marked the second coin with two, one on each side. That way, we couldn't lose."

"Beat ya at your own game!" Joey said.

"Both of them. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a score to settle with your boss."

The door opened, and we walked through to the final tunnel. That last duel had been even more confusing than all the others, but I was glad at the result. I enjoyed watching my new friends duel. They had already taught me a lot. At least some good would come out of this mess.

Before he could switch back with Yugi, I touched the Spirit's arm and passed on my positive emotions. "Good one," he said with a small smile.

"Thanks." He smiled back at me and briefly touched my hand with his.

When he departed from me, he was Yugi again. I did not mind, for I knew it would not be long before I saw him again. I focused on the light up ahead and ran with the others.

Finally, we were outside! I was so glad to not be caught in that cave anymore. The oppressive emotions left me, and I could focus on the present. We immediately started for Pegasus' castle. I was nervous about what would happen, but I knew my friends would be with me to help me get through it.

The castle was right next to the exit of the cave. It stood on a hill, reachable by a long flight of stairs, and we heads straight for it. Yugi and Tea trailed behind as the rest of us ran up the steps. I spun around when I felt a flash of pain behind me.

Thankfully, Yugi had only tripped on a rock and fallen flat on his face. Good thing Tea was there to help him up. I watched as the two of them talked, sensing fond memories and happy feelings. For some reason, I felt slightly uneasy. I dismissed the emotions, figuring I was just worried about what lay at the castle.

I flinched when I felt Bakura beside him. His emotions were just as complicated as my own, but for some reason I felt guilty. "They better hurry up," I mumbled, turning to face the castle again.

"Right," Bakura murmured.

I continued my trek as soon as I heard Yugi and Tea behind me. Several minutes later, we arrived outside of the castle doors. I placed my hands on my knees to catch my breath. When I lifted my head, I widened my eyes in surprise to see Kaiba standing in our way.

"I can't let you pass, Yugi," Kaiba said.

"I've won ten star chips," Yugi said, "so stand aside."

"You may have won enough star chips to qualify for the Duelist Kingdom playoffs, Yugi, but I can't allow you to face Pegasus. He's mine. You and I are going to have one final duel. You will lose, and I will win. The winds of change are blowing, Yugi Mouto."

"I'm not dueling you," Yugi said. "I don't have to."

"So, no longer confident your so called heart of the cards can help you win? Or are you afraid you can't beat me without Exodia? That's it, isn't it, Yugi? You're just afraid you can't beat me a second time. You coward."

His words angered me, but my intuition told me to dig deeper. Kaiba's emotions were complex, yet there was one thing that was very clear: he was concerned about his brother. Of course. Pegasus must be behind this. Maybe he told him he had to beat Yugi before he had a chance at rescuing Mokuba. Was there no way we could work together to get what we all wanted?

Kaiba recounted the duel he had against Yugi, the only person to have ever beaten him. "Yugi, you said you won by tapping into the heart of the cards," he said, "and for a long time I didn't know what that meant. But now I think I do, and it took Pegasus to show me. He gave me a reason to put my heart in the cards. For the first time, Yugi, I can duel with fire and passion in my heart."

"I can feel it," Yugi said.

Kaiba's emotions were usually a mystery to me, but now they were so strong that they were almost overpowering. "Mokuba," I whispered. Yugi glanced at me and nodded. He understood.

"I've changed," Kaiba said. "I deserve a rematch. Give me a chance to play you now, Yugi. Let me play you for the right reasons."

"Maybe you should," I said. "I think it might help him." That was not something mot duelists would consider. Anyone else would know that their self interest said they should ignore Kaiba and continue into the castle. Yet, looking at Yugi and feeling his emotions, I knew that he would do anyone to help someone onto the path of goodness, even his rival. Maybe _especially_ his rival.

"Samia, are you crazy?" Bakura said.

"Yugi already has ten star chips!" Tea protested.

I bit my lip. "But..." I looked from Yugi to Kaiba. I was not sure about the right decision, but it was Yugi's alone to make.

When I felt the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle merge with Yugi, I knew that he had made his choice. Something else caught my attention, though. Looking at Tea, I saw a bewildered expression on her face. My senses told me that she noticed something different about Yugi. She noticed the Spirit now mostly in control of his body.

"Kaiba, I accept your duel," Yugi and the Spirit said. "We'll see what you've really learned. You just name the place."

Kaiba smirked and picked up his briefcase. "Our dueling field has been prepared. Follow me."

Tea fell in step beside me ad we entered the castle. "Samia, you're very perceptive; do you sense something different about Yugi?" she whispered.

I spared her a glance. How much was I allowed to say? If she had already guessed... "How do you mean?"

"Well, this may sound crazy, but it almost seems like there are two Yugis."

I felt a smile flicker on my face, but I stared straight ahead so she would not see. "Not exactly, but you're getting there."

She was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"You'll find out soon enough, I suspect."

She did not pester me after that. I figured it would be best for Yugi to tell her himself. Since they were so close, I was sure he would when the time was right.

Kaiba led us onto the roof of the castle. He handed Yugi a duel disk, saying that was what they would use for the duel. They each put down five star chips so that whoever won would gain entry into the castle. I stood back with my friends, watching nervously.

It seemed like Kaiba was testing out his system again. If I had to take a guess, I would say that he thought he could get around Pegasus' mind games by using his new system. It was too bad he did not understand the reality of the situation. No technology could stand up against the ancient magic that Pegasus possessed. Maybe he would agree to let us help him if Yugi beat him.

Great intensity flowed from the duel as it progressed, and I had to grab Bakura's arm to steady myself. Both players had a lot on the line, and they wanted to win as quickly as possible. I could barely follow the duel, and I did not know who was going to win.

The duel turned in Kaiba's favor when he activated a virus that prevented Yugi from using any monsters with an attack strength greater than 1500, which was most useful monsters. Then he summoned one of his mighty Blue Eyes White Dragons. His next turn, he summoned his other two Blue Eyes and used a polymerization card to fuse them together and create the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, a monster that appeared unstoppable.

"Yugi, how I savor this moment," Kaiba said. "This is the moment I've been waiting for ever since you handed me my first and only Duel Monsters defeat. Prepare yourself to see the power of my monster unleashed."

The Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon destroyed the last monster Yugi had on the field. Kaiba said that there was nothing he could do to stop him and that he should concede defeat.

The fear and doubt that came from Yugi and the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle caused me to clench my teeth to endure it. No... The Spirit was so strong and courageous. He couldn't give up now! "You can do it!" I shouted. "I don't know how, but you can stop him!" I desperately wanted to help them with my own emotions, but I had nothing to draw upon. Then suddenly I felt strength from the people around me.

"She's right, Yugi," Joey said.

"You can win this," said Bakura, the normal pessimist of the group.

"That's right," said Tea. "We all believe in you."

"You've gotta remember what you're fighting for, Yug," Joey said. "The heart of the cards, just like your grandpa taught you. You've never let anyone down before, and I know you're not gonna let your grandpa down now."

I took the emotions from them and tried my best to send them to Yugi and the Spirit. Perhaps because we both possessed magic, I could reach the Spirit better than I could his host. He turned his head, and I could see him staring at me. _Feel that?_ I said through eyes. "I believe in you too." When I felt confidence return, I knew he understood my hidden message.

"No, Kaiba," Yugi and the Spirit said together, facing their opponent once again, "I will never surrender to the likes of you."

"That's it," Kaiba said. "That's the kind of determination I expect from you. Fight on. Gather every last bit of your strength, Yugi. I prefer to take you down when you're fighting your hardest."

Yugi drew what was perhaps his last card and said: "Let's finish this, Kaiba!" Then he looked at the card and laughed. "I just drew the card that will defend me against your Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon."

"Impossible!"

"What and learn." Yugi played Kuriboh, a very weak monster with hardly any attack points, in attack mode. It looked like a brown fuzz ball with eyes.

"That's ridiculous," Kaiba said. "In the entire game, Kuriboh is the weakest monster." Despite his taunting, I knew Yugi and the Spirit had a plan.

"Kaiba, you're mistaken," Yugi said. "This card will defend everything. And, before this duel is over, your dragon will fall!"

"Nonsense," Kaiba said, though I could feel his fear. "Hurry up and finish your turn so I can knock the stuffing out of your Kuriboh and win the game."

"As you wish." Yugi then used the magic card Multiply, which started to multiply Kuriboh endlessly.

"So is this some kind of a joke?" Kaiba said. He was becoming unnerved. Even if he didn't know Yugi's full plan, his own intuition must have told him that he was up to something. He now had to destroy all of the Kuribohs before he could win. He attacked with his dragon, but this had no effect on Yugi's life points, and the Kuribohs continued to multiply.

"That's right," Yugi said. "You can't take my remaining life points away, Kaiba, until you wipe out all the Kuriboh. But as quickly as you destroy them, they multiply right back."

"Hairballs. For each one I destroy, two more take its place."

"That's right. Kaiba, you may have created the ultimate attack monster, but I've created the ultimate defense: an ever expanding army of furry protectors. They may not look like much, but they stopped your dragon in its tracks."

I felt awed at Kuriboh and Yugi's plan. I hated to admit it, but I had previously agreed with Kaiba and thought that the strongest always won. That's why I felt like me and my powers would do no good in a really dangerous situation. But if a strong defense could prevail, maybe I was not as worthless as I had thought. Perhaps what I saw as weaknesses could really be turned into strengths.

Yugi played Mammoth Graveyard, Polymerization, and the Living Arrow magic card. Living Arrow allowed him to combine his monsters with his opponent's, and he used it to fuse Mammoth Graveyard with the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon. The arrow shot Mammoth Graveyard into the heart of the dragon, and a head appeared there.

Mammoth Graveyard was an undead monster and could not fuse properly; therefore the dragon would decay and rot, losing attack points each turn. Soon, Yugi would be able to destroy it.

We all cheered for Yugi. However, I felt uneasy in the put of my stomach. I glanced at Kaiba, noting his tension and terror. I had the feeling something terrible was about to happen. This was not over yet.

Kaiba made another futile attack. After another turn, his dragon had lost enough attack points so that even Yugi's weakest monsters could destroy it. I had never felt such, fear, and despair coming from one person. I suddenly knew what he was thinking.

"Kaiba! We can help you!" I called. "All is not lost!"

"Why would we want to help him?" Joey said, puzzled.

"Because he is fighting for a good cause." And if he did not let us help him, the situation as going to go downhill fast.

Yugi summoned Celtic Guardian and attacked. However, he had to destroy each head of the Ultimate Dragon at a time, so the duel was not won yet. Next turn Kaiba would lose enough attack points to be wiped out.

When the emotion slowly drained from Kaiba, I knew this was it. "Yugi, it can't end this way," he said in a very serious tone. "If I don't defeat you in this duel, Pegasus will keep Mokuba prisoner forever. I can't let that happen, and even though I don't have a card that can keep you from attacking, I think I still have a strategy that will stop you in your tracks."

"What do you mean?" Yugi said.

"I'm going to force your hand and win this battle, Yugi." Then he started to walk backwards, stopping only when he reached the edge of the roof. My heart thumped wildly as I feared for his life.

"Kaiba!" Yugi shouted. He was shocked and slightly fearful. "Stop this!"

"Your move, Yugi. You can attack my Blue Eyes again and wipe out my remaining life points, but if you do, the resulting shockwaves might cause me to lose my balance."

"Don't tempt me!" the Spirit said.

"My fate is completely in your hands, Yugi. You'll decide this duel one way or another. Of course, if you don't surrender, I might be hurt. You wouldn't want that, would you?"

"Kaiba!" I cried. "Stop this! We can rescue your brother together!"

"Only I can rescue Mokuba," Kaiba said. "Only I can beat Pegasus by using my duel disk system."

"But your system can't beat his magic! Only another Millennium Item like Yugi's Puzzle can defeat Pegasus' Millennium Eye!"

"I told you, I don't believe in magic. Yugi is a good duelist, but that Puzzle means nothing. I have to do this."

I clenched my teeth in frustration. "Please! Let us all work together."

"I don't rely on anyone but myself."

Yet he was relying on Yugi to make the right choice. I glanced at Yugi. There was clearly a struggle going on. Both Yugi and the Spirit were unsure of what to do. Kaiba was right to bet that Yugi would never attack him, but what if Yugi was not the one calling the shots?

Kaiba drew Reborn the Monster and resurrected the Blue Eyes that had already been destroyed. Now that Yugi had Celtic Guardian on the field, he could attack and win the duel. He had to wait one turn to attack, which he would do next time unless Yugi attacked him first. I dug my nails into my arms, preferring that pain to the emotional turmoil I was forced to endure.

"Surrender, Yugi!" Kaiba said manically. He had just about lost it now, and I knew there was no way I could reach him. "Unless you have the courage to unleash your attack!"

"Courage has nothing to do with it!" I called, speaking this time to Kaiba's opponent. "Spirit, don't do it! It's not worth it!" I felt astonished eyes on me, but there was no time to explain.

The Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle looked at me, his eyes wide and wavering. "We must do it," he said.

I shook my head. "I can tell Yugi doesn't want to, and there's no 'we' if you're not on the same page. You must defer to him! You can find another way to get into the castle. You're strong enough for that!"

"We may not have another chance. I have to win now."

"NO!" I sent a rush of emotions at him, knowing it would be futile.

"I'm sorry, Samia." The Spirit's regret turned into resolve as he faced Kaiba once again. With horror, I realized the only reason he would consider not attacking would be for the sake of his friends, not because he doubted the morality of his actions. "Kaiba, I've never backed away, and I'm not starting now! Celtic Guardian, attack!"

"Spirit!" I wailed in despair.

"Yugi!" Tea cried. She then dashed straight for the middle of the battle. "You can't!"

She gave me a sudden idea. I took her emotions and sent them to the real Yugi to give him strength. If he could just regain control of his body... I let out a scream of pain and fell to my knees as I felt the clash between Yugi and the Spirit. Bakura gasped and helped me stand up, keeping his arms around me. I could barely hear Tea calling for Yugi to stop the attack as she ran.

"STOP!" Yugi suddenly cried, once again in control. He felt to the ground on his hands and knees as Tea finally reached him. I did not have much time to relax, for now Yugi's emotions overwhelmed me.

"He came back," I whispered. I glanced at Bakura and could see he knew what I meant. "He needs us." He nodded and followed me as I ran over to Yugi.

The poor boy was shaking in terror. Tea stood in front of him. She was sympathetic but could not really understand what was going on. For once, not caring what anyone else thought, I knelt to the ground and pulled Yugi into my arms. He merely held onto me, too shocked to do anything else.

"He-" Yugi started to say but was unable to finish.

"I know," I said sadly, letting my sorrow flow through to him so he would know he was not alone. "I trusted him too."

Bakura got down beside me and put a hand on Yugi's shoulder. "It's a terrible feeling. I'm sorry."

"Couldn't do it, huh?" Kaiba said. He called on his Blue Eyes White Dragon to attack Yugi's Celtic Guardian, winning him the duel. He then moved away from the edge.

"Yugi!" Joey and Tristan cried before running over to us.

Yugi was crying and shaking now. Both Bakura and I held onto him. I did not know what to say to him, so I did my best to comfort him through my emotions, passing on the emotions of his other friends as well.

"I almost couldn't control him," Yugi said, "the Spirit inside of me. He was willing to go all the way against Kaiba!"

"Spirit?" Joey said with wide eyes.

"What do you mean?" said Tristan. "What the heck are you talking about, buddy?"

"Like me, Yugi has some sort of ancient spirit inside him," Bakura said. "It has something to do with our Millennium Items. Samia can sense the spirits and communicate with them."

"I'm afraid of this spirit inside me," Yugi said. "So afraid that I will never duel again."

"I thought he was a friend," I said softly. "I'm sorry." I rubbed his back in an attempt to comfort him. I caught Tea's eye and saw that she understood. We were not his closest friends, but Yugi needed Bakura and I to be with him right now because we could emphasize with him. The others could not truly understand what he was going through. Yugi had been there for Bakura and me earlier, and now it was our turn to be there for him.

"I'm sorry," Tea said as tears slipped down her face. "Sorry about your grandpa. But you did the right thing. You couldn't hurt another person; not even to save him. He wouldn't want to be saved that way."

"Then I guess he got what he wanted," Kaiba said coldly.

"Mokuba wouldn't want that either!" I said. I tried to glare at him but failed. I was never good at being angry, and with Yugi's emotions consuming me, now was not a good time to start.

"He would understand that I'm willing to do anything to rescue him, unlike Yugi. If he had done what needed to be done, he would be entering the castle, not me. But he was too weak to follow through on his play."

"He spared you!" Tea cried. "Kaiba, he showed you compassion, which is more than you deserve!"

"He lost the game."

"The game? Yugi may have lost one lousy Duel Monsters game, but at least he hasn't lost his heart! Not like you, Seto Kaiba! You've spent so much time with your machines you've forgotten what being human is about. Yugi has a heart, Kaiba. Yugi has us. Friends that will stand with him until the end, no matter whether he wins or loses some lousy game. And what do you have, Seto Kaiba? What do you have at the end of the day? Tell me! Tell me!"

"I have all that I need!" Kaiba said. He was angered by Tea's words. He then turned and stormed off.

"Yeah, keep fooling yourself, Kaiba," Joey said to his retreating form. "Yugi's twice the man you'll ever be."

Yugi's friends encircled him. I closed my eyes as I held onto him. Bakura put one arm around me and the other around Yugi. "I'm sorry," I whispered again. I could not help but think that I could have done something to stop this. In my desperation, I had turned to the Spirit of the Puzzle and told Yugi he could trust him too. Was he really as good as I originally thought?

Then again, my mother did tell me to stay away from even good spirits. They always brought danger and trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this chapter took up an entire disc of the series. Let me know if I'm going too fast for anyone. I'm trying to get to the more interesting parts.


	7. Chapter 6

We were all told to leave the roof of Pegasus' castle, so we started for the stairs. I helped Yugi stand up, and Bakura and I stood on either side of him as we walked. He was spaced out ad seemed almost like a zombie.

Finally, we were back at the main doors that led to the castle. Yugi stood before the doors, staring at nothing. His friends stood behind him, trying to cheer him up, but it was like he could not even hear them. Bakura and I exchanged worried looks. We both put a hand on his back in an attempt to comfort him.

I closed my eyes as I let his emotions pass through me. He was afraid of the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle and what he was capable of. He was sad that the Spirit would go to such lengths to win. He was torn because he needed to rescue his grandpa but did not want to hurt anyone. I understood exactly how he felt, yet I did not know what I could do to help him.

"It's ok, Yug," Joey said. "You just lost a few star chips is all." He walked around so that he was facing his friend. "Here, take mine. I owe you big time for helping me get this far. Take them."

Bakura stared at him in surprise. "But what about-?"

"My sister? Sure, she needs my help, but Gramps is in danger right now. We gotta get Yugi into the castle."

"Please, Yugi," Tea said.

"Come on, pal, what do you say? Go kick Pegasus' sorry butt and get your grandpa back." Joey held his star chips out to Yugi. "Go on, Yug. I want you to have them."

Yugi continued to stare straight ahead with a vacant expression.

Joey growled in frustration. He suddenly lifted Yugi into the air by his collar. "Come on, snap out of it! You're really starting to scare me, man. I'm trying to help you out here. Pull yourself together."

Yugi did not appear affected in the slightest.

"Stop it!" I said as I grabbed Joey's arm. "You don't understand. This isn't because he lost. It's that Spirit He's afraid of him, and I am to."

"But he needs to beat Pegasus," Tea said. "How can we help him?"

I had no answer to her, and my heart tightened. I glanced at Bakura. He gave me a sad smile. There was no way the others could understand what was going on. It was up to the two of us to do something. But how could we help Yugi when we felt he had every right to be feeling what he was feeling?"

"If this is how you treat your friends, I can't wait to see how you treat your enemies," a feminine voice said from behind us. I turned to see Mai staring at Joey, still holding up Yugi, with an odd expression on her face.

I finally managed to pull Yugi away from Joey. Yugi did not seem to care about this change, and his suddenly apathy had me worried. Bakura and I each put a hand on his shoulder.

"What's up?" said Mai. "If you have enough star chips to get inside the castle, why are you hanging out here?"

"It's Yug," Joey said sadly. "He lost his chips to Kaiba, and now it's like he lost the will to go on."

"So the little guy finally lost one, huh? Lucky for you guys I came by."

It was a bit more complicated than that, but if Yugi's friends couldn't comprehend what was going on, there was no way Mai was going to understand.

"Ok, now listen up," Mai said in a commanding tone, "especially you, Yugi. You got beat, but that doesn't mean it's the end of the world. When I got beat, I thought it was all over for me too, but then Yugi stepped in and saved my star chips. And now I'm returning the favor." She held out a fist, opening it to reveal star chips. They were extras she had won so that she could pay Yugi back. "Now go on, Yugi. You know I owe you, so take them."

Yugi stared past Mai, not really looking at anything. Not _feeling_ anything anymore.

"Earth to Yugi, star chips at 12 o'clock."

"Go ahead and take Mai's star chips, Yugi," Joey said kindly. "Then we can all head up to the castle together."

"What, are my star chips not good enough for you?"

Yugi remained silent. I bit my lip, knowing there was nothing anyone could say to get him to take them.

Mai clenched her fist around the star chips and pulled it back. "Fine, then I'll keep them. And your friends can wipe your nose all the way back to the nursery. Grow up! Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose."

"This isn't about losing!" I said, though I knew my words would be in vain. "Something else is going on here. You don't understand."

"Oh, I understand. Your friend lost one lousy duel, and now he's too chicken to play again. Isn't that right? How pathetic."

"No!" I grit my teeth in frustration, which evaporated as I gazed at Yugi's face. "He's in shock. I – I can't sense his emotions anymore. We can't reach him because his own emotions can't reach him. He's shut everything out." This was something I had only experienced once before – myself after my parents were killed. I wrapped my arm around his waist to hold him closer to me. "I understand what he should be feeling. I feel it to."

"Your feelings won't solve anything," Mai said harshly, causing me to widen my eyes. "You can emphasize with him all you want, but at the end of the day, if all you're going to do is sulk with him, what good does it accomplish? You need to motivate him to _act_. Pull him out of this." Her eyes fell on Yugi. "Alright, chicken boy, duel me for the star chips. Now."

I cast my gaze to the ground as shame filled me. Mai was right. I was useless. All I was doing was sharing Yugi's pain. I couldn't take it away or do anything to help him. My grandmother would know what to do. Even my mother would have been of some help. Why was neither of them here to guide me now?

"I'll duel you!" Tea suddenly exclaimed. I felt anger and defensiveness coming from her. "That's right. I'll duel you right here, right now for Yugi." She pulled out her deck from her pant pocket. I did not know she played. "You and me. Right here, right now. Yugi needs those star chips, and I'm going to win them for him."

"Come on, be serious," said Mai. "An amateur like you wouldn't stand a chance against me."

"Would so!"

"Hun, it's sweet, you standing up for Yugi and all, but sweet doesn't win duels. Now I'll ask you one last time: are you sure you want to duel me?"

Tea was afraid, but she responded with confidence. "Yes. I am."

Mai turned and led us down the stairs. Bakura and I linked arms with Yugi to help him since his spirit still seemed to be away from his body. We found a dueling arena at the base of the hill, and Mai and Tea immediately each took a side.

I was not sure how this was going to help Yugi. He still would not accept the star chips even if Tea won them for him. Unless she was counting on their friendship to get him back into gear.

"Yugi's still lost in his own head," Bakura said. He stood behind him with his hand on his shoulder while I had mine on his waist and back.

"Yeah, well, maybe a little duel action will snap him out of it," Tristan said.

Tea started by playing Petit Angel, a cute but weak monster in attack mode. Mai played her Harpie Lady and immediately destroyed Petit Angel. I got the feeling that Tea did not really know what she was doing. Yet she was not relying on strength; she was counting on faith to get her through this duel.

"Hey, Samia, I've been thinking," Bakura said quietly enough so that only I – and Yugi, if he had actually been paying attention – could hear. "Maybe you should try talking to the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle."

I looked at him with wide eyes. "What? No! You of all people should know that what he did was unacceptable."

Bakura hesitated before responding. "Yes, it was wrong, but can't you understand where he was coming from? He's a spirit from ancient Egypt, right? Don't you remember learning about Egypt in class? That had a very different moral code than modern day Japan. An eye for an eye. I believe the Spirit of the Puzzle thought he was doing what was right. You said so yourself that he's different than the Spirit of the Ring. He may have some things wrong, but he's not evil."

"But he still violated Yugi's will." I did not want to hear what my friend was saying. I was afraid.

"Yes, that was certainly a mistake, but I think that proves he's human. He's made a mistake like we all do. He helped me, remember? He found a way to save my life even when I was willing to give it up. If he didn't have good intentions, why wouldn't he have taken the easy way out? Up until now he's done a lot to help us. Shouldn't we at least hear him out?"

I bit my lip and glanced at the ground. "What if he's been tricking us this whole time? What if we have reason to fear him?"

"That's for Yugi to decide, and for his sake, he needs to hear both sides of the story. What if the Spirit is on our side? Do you want Yugi to live in fear for nothing? Either way, he's going to have to confront him eventually. He can't stay this way, Samia. The two of them have to come to some sort of agreement."

My resolve weakened as I felt his concern and compassion. Of course he was right. I sighed. "Fine. I'll do it." I glanced up at Bakura to see him give me a slight smile.

"You can do it, Samia. You're brave enough. I believe in you." He placed his hand over mine of Yugi's back to comfort me.

I gave him a small smile in return. "Thanks." I looked at Yugi's face. "Is that fine with you?" He did not respond, so I assumed he had to objections. I took a deep breath before placing my free hand on the Millennium Puzzle. " _Spirit?"_

_**"Yes?"**_

The strong voice in my head caused me to shiver. I gulped before continuing. _"Did you hear everything we were discussing? Do you know what's going on?"_

_**"I understand. I am sorry Yugi is so stunned at my actions. I was trying to help him."**_

My nervousness evaporated, replaced by anger. _"By putting Kaiba in danger?"_

_**"Kaiba was the one willing to risk anything! I was simply playing the game. Kaiba's the bad guy here."**_

I remembered Kaiba's emotions. The CEO may have been a lot of things, but he was not evil. I was sure of that much. _"He's not as bad as you think. I know him. He was doing everything he could to rescue his brother."_

_**"And I was trying to do what I could to help Yugi save his grandpa. That's his purpose for being here!"**_

_"But at what cost? Kaiba made a mistake, but so did you. That's not the way to win. It was wrong, and if you can't understand that, you'll never be able to work with Yugi. You're not protecting him at all. Can't you sense his emotions like I can?_ You _did that to him, not Kaiba or some stupid game."_

_**"He needs to get over it and do what needs to be done!"**_

The Spirit's anger only strengthened my resolve. I glared at the ground so Yugi would not think my emotions were aimed at him. _"Don't steal his innocence. Do you know the worst thing you did? You violated his will. Even if you thought attacking Kaiba was the best course of action, you should not have done so without Yugi's permission."_

_**"I was making a tough decision for him!"**_

_"That's not your role! This is_ his _body, not yours. No matter your motivation, if you're willing to assert your own will over your host's than you're no better than the Spirit of the Millennium Ring. After witnessing what happened to Bakura, is it any wonder that Yugi is terrified of you? He doesn't know you. Why should he believe you won't force him out of his own mind?"_

The Spirit was shocked at this revelation. When he spoke again, his voice was much softer. **_"Samia, I-"_**

_"No. I don't want to hear it. You need to stay in the Puzzle and think about what you've done. I'll do what I can to help Yugi."_

He did not respond. While I was still angry with him, the hint of guilt I felt gave me hope. I removed my hand from the Puzzle and gazed up at Bakura, who was watching me with concern.

"How did it go?" my friend asked with a weak smile.

I sighed and shook my head. "I don't know. He was very defensive and stubborn. Yet I think you're right that he's not evil. I think he and Yugi both need to time reflect on everything."

Bakura frowned. "If only time was something we had a lot of."

I turned to look at the dueling arena. "What's going on?"

"Tea just playing Shining Friendship. Mai's Harpie Lady should have destroyed it, but her trap card saved her. She's actually not half bad at this game."

I nodded. "That's good." I glanced at Yugi to see his reaction. He actually seemed slightly alert now, and his emotions were starting to stir. Maybe Tea's friendship would get through to him after all.

"You're right, Mai," Tea said to her opponent. "Maybe I am scared up here dueling you for such incredibly high stakes, but this card reminded me of something that helps me face that fear: my friends. And I know, with all of them backing me up, I will win! It's like the card says, Shining Friendship, no matter how dark things may get, the special bond I share with my friends will always find a way to shine through. I may be scared, but that fear won't keep me from dueling or from helping Yugi or from winning this duel!"

"Yugi," Joey said, "is any of this stuff getting through to you?"

Tea's emotions swept over me, calming me and giving me peace. I passed the strong feelings along to Yugi. Surely he could not help but be touched as well.

"Don't you see?" Joey went on. "Tea's putting herself on the line for you."

"Even though she's frightened, she still battles on," Bakura added. "It's quite inspiring, really."

Finally, Yugi looked up at his female friend. I felt him awakening. Maybe it was not enough for him to take action himself, but he was with us now. "You can do it," I said softly. "We're here to support you. You don't have to face this alone."

The duel continued on. Eventually, Mai attacked Shining Friendship, but doing so activated the card's effect, which was to allow Tea to retrieve one magic card from the graveyard. Mai insisted she was only delaying the inevitable, but Tea insisted she was not giving up.

"Come on, what you're doing is pointless," Mai said. "Yugi's already given up on himself. You're not going to be able to keep fighting for him."

I could tell that Yugi was listening to what she was saying. His emotions were slowly coming back. They were confused and mixed up, but at least he was sorting everything out.

"He has to fight for himself," said Mai. "He has to stand up to anyone who dares get in his way. And whatever's going on in his head, Tea, Yugi has to deal with it on his own. Face it, Tea, Yugi's checked out. He's given up. He doesn't care about this match, and he doesn't care about you. Nothing's worth the humiliation you're going through."

"You're wrong; my friends are worth it!" Tea declared. "Always. I don't care how much experience you have playing Duel Monsters. I don't care what the odds are against beating you. I won't give up. Not on this match and not on Yugi either. I won't give up. I won't." She started shaking with emotion. I resisted the urge to reach out to her and instead focused on making sure Yugi knew exactly what she was feeling.

"Tea," Yugi said softly. It was the first time he had spoken since he had broken down in front of Kaiba.

"Don't let these tears fool you, Mai. I may be crying, but I've never felt stronger. So you better get your star chips ready because I'm about to beat you! And there's not a thing you can say or do that will stop me."

"You may have a tendency to run at the mouth, but you've got a lot of spunk," Mai said. "Give me your best shot."

Tea played a couple of magic cards to boost the power of Shining Friendship. She was then able to destroy Mai's Harpie Lady, her best card. All of us cheered for her, including Yugi. Figuring he was fine now, I followed Bakura's lead and took my hands off of Yugi, though I remained close to him.

Mai's emotions caught my attention. She picked up her face down card and stared at it intently. She seemed to be torn between something. The one thing I could tell was that, despite her proclamations otherwise, what Tea was doing for Yugi had affected her in some way.

"I surrender, Tea," she said. "I don't have the cards to win."

"You're giving up just like that?" Tea said in surprise.

"Don't rub it in, Tea. Harpie Lady was the best monster I had, and seeing as how you beat her, there's really no point in me going on." Mai stepped down from the dueling arena.

"I won!" Tea said as she ran to join her friends.

"Way to go, Tea," Joey said. "You really came through for Yugi."

"Whatever, I didn't need these anyway," Mai said as she dropped the star chips into Tea's hands."

"Good match," Tea said.

Mai started to walk away, but Yugi called after her: "Wait, Mai, I have to ask you something. Wasn't the last card-"

"A throw away," Mai said. She looked at him over her shoulder. "It wasn't anything Tea wouldn't have been able to beat anyway, really. Some cards just aren't worth playing, huh, Yugi?"

My suspicions were confirmed. I smiled at her. "You're a good person, Mai."

Mai responded by giving us a thumbs up. Then she walked off to the castle.

"Thank you," Yugi said softly.

"Yugi?" Tea said tentatively from behind him. "I, uh, I won these star chips for you." She held her hands out to him.

"I know." Yugi smiled warmly at her. "Thank you so much."

"Sure thing."

"I'll never forget what you did for me, Tea. You overcame your fears for me."

I observed them and their emotions as Yugi finally accepted the star chips. Looking at the two of them like that made me almost sad, but I decided to accept what I realized. "Good job, Tea," I said. "You're a good friend."

"So are you, Samia," Tea said.

My eyebrows rose in surprise. "What did I do?"

"You stayed with Yugi and tried to help him in your own way. I'm glad you're with us."

Yugi nodded. "I'm glad both you and Bakura were there. It's good to have someone who understands."

I smiled. "No problem."

"Hey, you losers!" Mai called from partway up the stairs. "Last one to the castle door is a rotten egg!"

"Let's go!" Yugi exclaimed before running off. Laughing, the rest of us followed him.

Once again, I had to stop to catch my breath upon reaching the top steps. Kemo – Pegasus' thug who had kidnapped Mokuba – stood there, accepting star chips. I bristled when I saw him. Yugi, Joey, and Mai were able to get through the castle doors, but Kemo would not let the rest of us through.

Before we could come up with a plan, Mai distracted the guard by attempting to charm him, and the four of us snuck past him into the castle. Once he realized what was going on, Mai struck him with her bag. I flashed her a smile of thanks. Joey slammed the door shut, leaving Kemo to angrily pound on the door. Hey, it wasn't like we were going to cause any harm.

Yugi ran through the entrance hall, the rest of us on his heels. It was good to see he had his determination back. Seeing nowhere else to go, we walked up a stairway onto a balcony. There we saw Bandit Keith, who must have also been a finalist – through taking star chips others had won for him, no doubt. I flinched at the anger I felt coming from Joey.

"You slime bucket!" my blonde friend growled. "I've been waiting to find you ever since you left us trapped in that cave." He attempted to punch Bandit Keith, but his target slipped out of the way.

"Can't this little grudge of yours wait?" Keith said as he held Joey's fist in his hand. "The real action is about to start." He turned to look down from the balcony.

We followed his gaze. I walked over to the edge of the balcony and leaned against the railing. Bakura and Yugi stood on either side of me. On the main level stood Kaiba with his briefcase!

"It's the world champ and Pegasus," said Keith. Apparently, the two of them were going to duel. I bet this was how Kaiba would try to get his brother back.

"Welcome finalists," said a guard with a mustache as he approached us. "I'm Croquet, chief tournament liaison. "Congratulations on making it this far. Pegasus is quite taken with all of your dueling talents. In fact, he's so impressed he wanted to reward you with some entertainment. A special exhibition match. I think you'll all be quite in awe at what you're about to see. This match should give you an idea of what's in store for all of you."

"So basically it's meant to intimidate us, huh?" said Mai.

"Why would Pegasus do something like that?" Croquet asked innocently. I narrowed my eyes, knowing he was mocking us.

"Because he's a grade A nutcase," Joey said.

"Enjoy the match," Croquet said before leaving.

We returned to looking over the balcony to watch the action down below. The doorway at the opposite end of the room opened, and a man with a powerful presence entered. I sucked in a sharp breath. He was dressed in all read and hade straight, white hair that felt to his shoulder. His left eye was hidden by his hair, and that was where I felt his power coming from.

"That's Pegasus?" Bakura said. Noticing my tension, he placed a hand on my shoulder.

Yugi nodded. He glanced at me. "Do you sense anything?"

"Power, strength, chaos, and darkness," I said with a shudder. "No spirits, though."

"That's good," Yugi said before returning his gaze to the duelists.

"Yugi will be able to beat him," Bakura said gently to me.

I glanced at Yugi's Puzzle and then looked back at Bakura. When our eyes locked, I knew we were thinking the same thing. Yugi had a stronger power if he was willing to use it, but could he win on his own? He still had a lot he needed to figure out. I took a deep breath and looked out at the floor again.

"Where's my brother?" Kaiba said to Pegasus.

"What? No hello? No how are you?" Pegasus said as he walked forward with two guards behind him. "I thought we were friends, Kaiba boy. Don't tell me my kidnapping Mokuba and seizing control of your company has put a rift between us. It was nothing personal. Besides, it's not like I hurt your kid brother. He's perfectly safe. In fact, you can have him back if you'd like. Just beat me in a duel like we agreed and I'll hand him over. I mean, one little victory shouldn't be a problem for the Duel Monster's World Champ."

Pegasus moved his hair out of the way of his left eye, and I gasped. There was not a real eye there at all but a golden eye. A golden eye that looked just like the eye on the Millennium Puzzle and Millennium Ring. That must be the Millennium Eye that Yugi mentioned.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm not hoping Kaiba loses this duel," Joey said.

"Pegasus has a darker heart," I said, "and Kaiba is fighting for someone he loves."

"Yeah, I can't help but feel for him trying to get his kid brother back."

"As far as I'm concerned, anyone who stands up to Pegasus can't be all bad," said Tristan.

Finally, Kaiba looked up and noticed all of us watching him. I smiled weakly and gave him a small wave.

"Hi there, Kaiba," Yugi said.

"Yugi," Kaiba said in surprise. "How could you be in here after I defeated you? I should have known you'd find a way."

"I hope you're ready, Kaiba," Pegasus said. "I've been looking forward to this for quite some time."

"Good." Kaiba opened his briefcase and pulled out his dueling disks. He tossed one to Pegasus, who caught it. "Then you'll have no problem dueling with this."

Pegasus turned the duel disk over several times and then waved it back and forth. "You want to duel me with your latest contraption? But I don't even know how this silly device even works." I could tell he was playing with him. Kaiba was not amused. "Ok then, how about we settle this like businessmen would? I'll agree to use your system if you agree to a request that I have."

"What?"

"Nothing that will change the game, of course. I just want someone else to operate your little device for me. I assure you I'll still make all the strategic decisions. The game play won't change at all."

"So why the request? Why not fight your own battle for once in your life?"

Pegasus clasped twice. "Show Kaiba the lad who will play as my pawn and he'll understand my request."

The door behind him opened. There stood Mokuba chained to another guard. Except... I widened my eyes. "His soul's gone!" I could feel nothing in him at all.

"He must have done to Mokuba what he did to my grandpa," Yugi said.

Kaiba called out to his brother, but he did not respond, of course. Pegasus then showed him the card where he had placed Mokuba's soul. Kaiba would have to beat Pegasus to win his brother's soul back, and if he lost, he would lose his own soul.

"So it's settled," Pegasus said as a guard handed the duel disk to Mokuba. "We'll use your new invention, but your brother will operate it for me."

"Wait, Pegasus!"

"What's the matter, Kaiba boy? This was your idea. Using your own system is sure to give you quite the advantage. What's the problem?"

I closed my eyes as I felt Kaiba's emotions. I would have no problem if I were in his place because I could sense that Mokuba was not really there, but Seto Kaiba could not make that distinction. His brother meant too much to him to face him this way. It would be torture.

I gazed at him sadly when he agreed to not use the duel disks, and Mokuba was taken away. It was probably for the best. Yet, did Kaiba have a chance now? How could he beat a magic he did not even believe in?

Pegasus snapped his fingers, and the walkway retracted and moved into the walls. At the same time, a dueling arena descended from the ceiling. Kaiba and Pegasus took their places on either side of the dueling arena.

"Kaiba!" Yugi shouted. "You've got to believe in the heart of the cards! It's the only way to rescue Mokuba!"

"Keep out of this!" Kaiba called back. "I'm fighting this duel my way!"

"Just remember it takes more than a strong monster and clever strategy to win this. That Millennium Eye Pegasus has changes everything. You have to-"

"Yug," Joey said, "don't forget Kaiba's the guy who took five off your stars."

"I know, but I also know what it's like to be dueling someone you care about. And I couldn't live with myself if I held back on anything that could help Kaiba get his brother back."

"Easy, buddy," Joey said.

When I placed my hand on Yugi's back, his strong emotions shot through me like I had been struck. "I know."

Bakura moved so that his arm was touching mine, and I smiled at him, glad for the contact. I felt like the three of us had a deeper understanding than we had before. We could get through this together.

"Yugi," Kaiba said without looking at him, "You're a good duelist, but I don't need your help. It's my battle to fight now, and I will win!"

And so the duel began.

Kaiba started off strong, but Pegasus acted like he was weak and inferior to him. I could tell this was a game and he was just toying with his opponent. Luckily, Kaiba did not fall for his act. Right when he was about to play a monster, Pegasus sprung a trap that allowed him to keep his card if he guessed whether its attack points were above 2000. Sure enough, he guessed right and took control of Kaiba's Blue Eyes White Dragon. He had even guessed the name of the card before it was shown to him!

I turned to Yugi. "Was that the power of the Millennium Eye?"

"Yes," Yugi said grimly. "That's how he beat me the first time – when he took my grandpa's soul."

I wanted to ask why he didn't warn Kaiba, but then I remembered how Kaiba had acted when we had mentioned magic in the past. There was no way he would believe us. Why did he have to be so stubborn?

Kaiba attempted to use his Crush Card to destroy all of Pegasus' monsters with over 1500 attack points. However, Pegasus had set up the perfect defense to negate the effects of the card. Now Kaiba was shocked and fearful. He had to know something bizarre was going on. I only hoped he did not lose faith.

Suddenly, Pegasus went on a tangent about cartoons. While everyone else appeared puzzled, I sensed that he has something up his sleeve. He then played Toon World, a magic card so powerful that it was never released to the public. Toon world looked like a kid's popup book. Pegasus' monster, Dark Rabbit, disappeared into the book. Apparently, when the book was closed, the monsters inside could not be attacked.

Pegasus proceeded to play the Blue Eyes White Dragon, which got sucked into the book and then became Blue Eyes Toon Dragon – a cute cartoon version of the original. This really got Kaiba's blood boiling. I clenched my hands around the railing in an attempt to control what I was feeling.

"Pegasus, your underhanded dueling tactics have gone on long enough," Kaiba said. "It's time someone put a stop to your cheating ways." He set down his current hand of cards. "I may not know exactly how you're cheating, but somehow you can see my cards. So, I'm abandoning my present hand. Perhaps if I can't see what I'm playing, you can't either."

"A gutsy move," Yugi said.

"But it's not like he has much of a choice," I said. He would need magic of his own to combat the Millennium Eye.

"Tell me, how do you think Pegasus is cheating?" asked Tristan.

"I don't know," Joey said. "Maybe's he's got some hidden cameras set up in here."

"You really think so?"

"Hey, I wouldn't put anything past that sleezy slimeball. And I'll tell you this, now that Kaiba's not even looking at his cards, he's going to need to trust in the heart of the cards if he's going to have any chance of rescuing his brother."

I pursed my lips and added no comment. Hadn't Yugi already explained the Millennium Eye to them? And they still seemed to not be able to comprehend the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle. Why was it so hard for them to believe their friend? It seemed like Bakura, Yugi, and I really were in this alone. It kind of made sense. The two of them were directly involved in all this and could not deny the power of the Millennium Items. As for me, I had been raised to believe that magic was real, so none of this surprised me. I was taught that magic was very real... and very dangerous.

Kaiba drew and played a card without looking, and it turned out to be a Blue Eyes White Dragon! This dragon attacked the toon dragon, but the toon dragon evaded the attack by stretching his body. This was another effect of Toon World.

Pegasus used a magic card to increase the power of his Toon Dragon. When he attacked Kaiba's Blue Eyes, Kaiba used a trap card to stop the attack for one turn. Then Kaiba used a magic card to prevent Toon Dagon from attacking and lower his attack points. Finally, Toon Dragon was destroyed.

Pegasus did not appear phased. He proceeded to use his Dragon Capture Jar to steal Kaiba's second Blue Eyes. Then he used the magic card Doppelganger to copy his opponent's Crush Card. With this, he was able to destroy all of Kaiba's monsters above 1500 attack points.

I tensed my body as I felt Kaiba's shock and pain. This was not good... I hated that there was nothing I could do to help him or stop my own pain.

"All of my cards are gone," Kaiba said. He held up a card. "This is the only one left the virus didn't affect." He played it. "So it's the only card I can play. I use Reborn the Monster to Revive Saggi the Clown."

Pegasus' monster promptly destroyed Saggi. Since Kaiba did not have any more cards he could play, he lost the duel.

"And you've lost just more than this duel, haven't you, Kaiba?" Pegasus taunted him. "You've lost the only chance you had at rescuing your baby brother. You let him down. But don't worry, my dear friend." He pulled out a blank card. "I will spare you the agony of carrying in this world without him."

"What is that?" Kaiba said, surprised and confused.

"It is the final fate of your soul, Seto Kaiba." His Millennium Eye glowed and light shot out of it.

A scream tore from my throat as I felt Kaiba's soul being ripped from my body. Bakura held onto me, alarmed. When it was over, I stood there shaking and panting heavily. Yugi appeared almost as upset as me.

Pegasus stared at the two cards and laughed menacingly. "Take away that empty shell," he said to his guards. "Teach it to wash dishes or something." Two guards took hold of Kaiba's body and led him away.

"Ok, tell me I didn't just see what I think I saw," Joey said.

"Kaiba..." Tea murmured.

"He's gone too," said Yugi. "Just because he was only trying to help his little brother out." Seeing him cry caused my own tears to flow. I pulled away from Bakura and moved closer to Yugi, linking my arm with his. "He was like us. He just wanted to save someone he cared for." He stared straight at the perpetrator. "Why, Pegasus? Who are you to toy with our friends, our families? I won't let you get away with it!"

I leapt back from Yugi when I felt him changing. All my other emotions were suddenly replaced with fear, for now standing before me was the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle. Then anger hit.

"Easy now," Bakura said, grabbing me before I could move towards him.

I glanced at him and felt his sorrow. This was no place to lose control of my emotions. I nodded, and he released me.

"Pegasus!" the Spirit bellowed. "It will not be long now before I put an end to your games."

"Yugi boy," said Pegasus, "don't forget you still have to make it through the remaining rounds of this tournament to even win the privilege of challenging me."

"Rest assured, I'll be at the finals, but the true privilege will be defeating you and undoing all the evil acts you've committed against my friends."

"I look forward to your finest efforts, Yugi boy, and wonderful performances from all our finalists. You truly are the best of the best. The crème de la crème. "

I froze when I felt Pegasus' eyes on me. Though I knew he could not read my mind, I knew he understood far more than he should. "He knows..." I whispered. He knew what I was.

"Samia?" Bakura said, looking at me in concern.

Mai was already leading everyone off of the balcony. I felt the Spirit's eyes on me. "I'm fine," I said. "Go on ahead. I'll be there in a minute."

Bakura and Joey both looked from 'Yugi' to me before following Tea and Tristan.

"What does Pegasus know?' the Spirit asked, his tone firm but not angry like it had been earlier.

I flinched and slowly turned to face him. "Nothing." I had not meant for him to hear that.

His eyes bore into mine, and I was afraid he would see too much like Pegasus had. "You don't trust me."

I snapped out of my fear and glared at him. "Why should I? I'm still mad at you, you know. What are you doing here? I doubt Yugi gave you permission to take control of his body."

"His emotions overcame him, and I took over to help him."

"You can't help someone who doesn't want help!"

"It's my duty to protect him!"

"And you did a fine job of that in your duel with Kaiba! How are you protecting him if he's frightened of you? You and I both know that he needs you if he's going to beat Pegasus, but if you can't learn to work together as a team, you're going to lose."

"I know." His emotions were still hard to decipher, but I could tell they had softened along with his gaze. "How can I gain his trust back? And yours?"

He sounded so sincere that it was hard to not believe him. I knew I had to give him another chance. I did not have many options. "Talk to Yugi. Try to find common ground and compromise. Let him know you're on his side."

"I will try, but I do not think he is willing to listen to me."

"I'll talk to him about that. You need to think about what you'll say to him when he lets you in."

"Thank you, Samia." A small smile flickered on his face. "I appreciate your help."

His smile caused my heart to leap in fear. He frowned upon seeing this. I knew I had to stop acting like a frightened deer. I had my own reasons for fearing him, but those did not matter in comparison to being able to help Yugi. "Y-yeah. Can I have Yugi back now?"

"Very well." He was disappointed about something, but I did not dare dig deeper. Then Yugi stood there, dazed and confused.

"Samia?" he said. "What happened? Where's everyone else?"

Relief spread through me upon seeing my friend. I grabbed his arm and started to walk with him towards the stairs. "I'll tell you later. We need to catch up to the others."

He smiled at me, and I could not help but smile back. If he could be strong in the midst of adversity, then so could I.


	8. Chapter 7

The dining table stretched from one end of the long room to the other. It was bare other than two portraits hanging above the door. One of them was a painting of an Egyptian man and the other was a beautiful young woman. I wondered what those were about, but my hunger took over, and I dug into the feast.

Croquet then walked into the room and stood at the end of the table. "On behalf of Mr. Maximillion Pegasus, I'd like to congratulate the four finalists and welcome them to this final phase of the Duelist Kingdom Competition. I trust you all have your playoff entry cards." Everyone was surprised at this statement. "In your invitation to the Duelist Kingdom, you received these two cards, Glory of the King's hand and Glory of the King's Opposite Hand." He held up two cards, one with shining light and the other with treasure. "You must have one of these to participate in the final tournament. Those without them are disqualified. Each card provides unique prizes. The Glory of the King's hand card is needed to claim the $3 million cash prize. The Opposite Hand card allows the winner to challenge Pegasus for the championship. To make tomorrow's tournament interesting, your host has added a special ingredient to your soup."

I stared into my soup but saw nothing. Then I glanced into Yugi's. His soup held a small eyeball – the same eye on the Millennium Items. Looking around, I could tell that only the finalists had such an eye.

"Hey, this is worse than having a fly in my soup!" Joey said indignantly.

"Open up the eye and look inside it if you will," said Croquet. "Each of you has been randomly assigned a letter." The finalists opened their eyes to reveal a piece of paper with a letter A – D on them. "And now the island's computer will pair up the letters to determine tomorrow's duel matchups." A projection screen descended from the ceiling and stopped above Croquet's head. Then a bracket with letters appeared on the screen. "Tomorrow's duels are as follows: A vs. B, C vs. D."

Joey leapt up from his chair and exclaimed: "Who has C?"

"Me, runt," Bandit Keith said with a smirk.

Joey immediately turned on him. "Alright! It's payback for trapping us in that cave!"

"Once I crush you, you'll wish you were still in that cave."

I rolled my eyes at the two of them. Joey's emotions were bothering me, so I focused on Yugi beside me.

"It looks like it's you and me, Mai," he said to his opponent, who sat across from him.

"I'm looking forward to this one," said Mai.

"Yeah, me too. And may the best duelist win."

"The duels are set," said Croquet. "Yugi Muto versus Mai Valentine and bandit Keith versus Joey Wheeler. Please enjoy the rest of this feast because, for three of you tomorrow, your long journey will end in failure." He bowed and exited the room.

"That was ominous," Bakura said from my left.

"I just want to get this all over with," I mumbled. I was glad Pegasus was not dining with us, for I did not know if I would have an appetite. For that matter, I was not sure how well I would sleep. I had to try at least in case I needed to help Yugi.

\---

The meal turned out to be much better than I thought. Even though I had not been on the island for that long, all that had happened made it seem like weeks. I was glad to be eating at a real table, and I was looking forward to a shower later on.

I felt tired already, but my emotions were piqued when I saw Yugi talking to Joey. It turned out that Joey had not been invited to the tournament at all. Each duelist invited had been given two star chips as proof they could enter, and Yugi had given Joey one of his star chips. However, Joey did not have either of the two cards he needed to enter.

With a little persuading, Yugi gave Joey the card that would let him take the prize money. They both only needed one card, and having them both compete gave them twice the chance to win the tournament. It made sense to me, and I could not help but smile at their friendship.

Finally, we headed to bed. Bakura and Tristan had the first two rooms across from each other, so they broke away from our group.

"Good night, everybody," Bakura said as he opened his door. "Tomorrow's a big day." His eyes fell on me. "Are you going to be alright?"

I nodded. "I'll be fine." Truthfully, I did not want to leave my friends, even if I would only be a room down. I had become too used to them.

Bakura smiled. After everyone said their good nights, he and Tristan disappeared behind the doors to their rooms. Yugi and Joey had the next rooms. Finally, Tea's and my rooms lay at the end of the hallway.

"Have a good night, Samia," Tea said, her hand on the doorknob.

I forced a smile. "Night, Tea." Before I could change my mind, I opened my door and stepped inside, closing the door behind me.

The room was larger than my bedroom at home. My room held a king sized bed, a couch, a coat rack, and a bathroom off to the side. I immediately headed for the bathroom to clean myself. I was grateful for the activity to distract myself.

When I returned to the main room feel nice and fresh, the weight of what would happen the following day crashed down on me. There was so much at stake now. Pegasus was dangerous, and if he succeeded, who knew what dangers lay ahead. Even if I was let free no matter what happened, I would for sure lose Yugi.

I wiped the tears away with the back of my hand. I usually enjoyed solitude, but now I did not want to be alone. I could not sit around thinking about everything anymore, so I decided to turn off the lights and climb into bed.

A chill ran down my spine as the darkness greeted me. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried my best to think about nothing. Somehow, I managed to drift off.

\---

After rolling over upon waking up for the tenth time, I realized this was not going to work. I was only falling into light sleep and not getting the deep sleep I needed. Maybe I needed more time to unwind and calm down before I tried to sleep. I decided to walk around the castle for a bit to see if that helped. I did not plan to go far – just down the hallway.

The air was eerily quiet and dark as I exited my room. I silently moved down the hallway. I stopped when I reached Bakura's room. I sensed something on the other side, but I was too tired to distinguish what it was. It was probably nothing that could not wait until morning. I turned around to head back the way I had come.

I stared at the floor as I trudged along. Suddenly, my senses alerted me of danger. I snapped my head up, widening my eyes upon seeing Pegasus standing not a meter away from me. I really needed to learn to be more alert and not let my guard down.

"Hello, miss Samia." He spoke politely, and I could tell he was at ease. However, I knew better than to think him a gentleman. He simply had good control over his emotions. "What are you doing up at this hour?"

"Taking a walk," I replied simply, grateful I was able to speak normally. My eyes flickered to the left side of Pegasus' face where his long white hair was hiding the Millennium Eye. I remembered the Spirit of the Millennium Ring has said the Ring could not affect me because of my powers. Was the same true for all the Millennium Items?

"You should be resting. Tomorrow is a big day."

The way he stared at me made me feel like he could see right through me. I shivered. I wanted to make a run for my room, but I would have to get past him to reach my door. I stood as straight as possible. "Yugi is going to stop you."

His eyes flickered in amusement. "We'll see about that, my dear. I will say, he is not the only one you need to worry about."

I swallowed hard. "Stay away from Bakura!"

Pegasus smirked. "And what are you going to do if I don't?" He was toying with me.

"I – I'll stop you!" I hid my hands behind my back so he could not see them shaking. I had no idea what I could do against a man who hid his true emotions, but I had to at least try to protect my friends.

"I suppose you might be a threat if you were very advanced in your powers, but I can see that is not the case."

I froze, and I thought I felt my heart skip a beat. I tried to form words, but my mouth was too dry.

"Oh, yes, I know all about _you_." He laughed as if to mock me. He was clearly enjoying himself.

"Wh-what do you know about me?" I finally managed to get out. He might be the enemy, but if he knew something about my powers, it could not hurt to ask.

"I know enough to know there is nothing you can do to help your friends. In fact, you will probably only end up in Yugi boy's way." Pegasus' eyes gleamed as he loomed over me, a smug look on his face.

I shook my head. "No. That's not true." It was the same thing I had been telling myself, but I had to deny it when it came from him. There was a small part of me that insisted there was a way to put my abilities to good use. There had to be something I could do to help.

"Oh, I say it is. I may not be able to read your mind, but I still know how to use you to my advantage."

"I'll find a way!" It was hard to hide the panic in my voice. I should have gotten out of there, but my feet were frozen in place.

Pegasus shook his head. "I'm afraid not, my dear." He would have appeared sad if I could not sense his amusement. "Not without proper instruction. Your mother and grandmother have passed away, have they not?"

I widened my eyes in shock. His Millennium Eye did not work on me, so how did he know so much about me?

"I thought so. I do sympathize with you, dear, so I will generously offer you my assistance."

I momentarily forgot my fear as my confusion increased. "What?"

He offered me a smile that chilled me to the bone. "There is no way your friends can win, so I propose you join me instead. I know what you are and how you can increase and control your powers. If you come with me, you can become someone great. What do you say?"

I frowned. "Why would you want me to work with you if I'm useless?"

"Because I can see potential in you. Your abilities will be useless tomorrow, but I know you can help me accomplish my goals. Together, we can change the world."

I knew I should not accept anything he said, but I could not help the tiny bit of hope I felt. If he wanted me on his side, that meant he did think I could be useful after all. And just maybe he did see me as a threat after all. I knew it would be hard to train on my own, but there was no way I was joining forces with someone like _him_. "No!" I shouted forcefully, my eyebrows drawn in determination.

For the first time that night, Pegasus looked startled. "My, you're certainly a stubborn one. I was only offering out of the goodness of my heart."

"Samia!"

Relief flowed through me at the sound of the familiar voice. I dared not look away from Pegasus as he approached, but I did not have to wait long. Yugi soon reached me and stood in front of me, spreading his arms out protectively.

"Leave her alone!" he said with an anger that was rare for him.

Pegasus' eyebrows lifted in surprise, but then he relaxed and smiled amiably. "We were simply having a pleasant discussion, Yugi boy. You should be resting for you duel tomorrow."

"I first need to make sure you won't hurt my friends."

"I would never hurt a young lady. What kind of man do you take me for?" He winked at me over Yugi's shoulder. "Think about what I said, dear. Have a good night." He turned around and faded out of sight.

Once I was sure he was gone, my tension left my body, and my weariness returned. I felt Yugi's anger replaced by compassion as he looked at me in concern. "Are you alright, Samia?" he said.

I nodded. "I'm fine. Thank you, Yugi."

"What were you doing out here talking to Pegasus?"

"I – I couldn't sleep, so I decided to take a walk. I ran into him."

Yugi gazed at me for several long moments. Though I was exhausted, I could still feel hints of the conflicting feelings swimming inside him. I realized that if I was having a hard night, it must be a lot worse for him.

"I've had a hard time sleeping too," Yugi said softly. "There is so much that could go wrong tomorrow."

"But you do need to rest. We both do."

"That's true." Yugi paused before continuing. "Do you want to talk in my room? Maybe there are things we both need to get off our minds before we sleep."

His offer surprised me, but I nodded in agreement. He gave me a small smile before leading me to his room. I could hear nothing but our own footsteps. Thankfully, we had not woken anyone else.

Yugi's room was like a mirror of mine. He headed straight for the bed, and I followed. We sat next to each other, our feet dangling off the edge. Neither of us said anything at first. Despite the circumstances, there was something about being near him that relaxed me. I could only hope there was something I could do for him in return.

"I had a dream," Yugi said, looking at the wall. "I saw my grandpa's soul card, and he warned me about Pegasus' shadow powers that come from his Millennium Eye. He said the only way I can defeat him is to learn to control the power of the Millennium Puzzle."

I bit my lip and stared at my lap. That sounded like much more than a dream to me. "It's true," I said in a weak voice. "I can sense it."

I felt Yugi's gaze on me. "Do you know how I can use the Puzzle?"

I lifted my head and looked into his worried eyes. I felt his fear, and I knew he at least sensed the answer. "You can't do it alone. You need to work together with the Spirit of the Puzzle."

Yugi's eyes widened, and his fear increased. "What? I can't. What if he hurts someone else?"

"I don't think he meant to hurt anyone. He just wanted to win the duel and Kaiba was in the way."

"How does that make him any better than Pegasus?"

I frowned. That was a good question. "I can't claim to know Pegasus' heart, but he does use innocent people, which I don't think the Spirit would. The Spirit is trying to do the right thing."

Yugi looked away sadly. He felt hurt and betrayed. "He went against my wishes."

"I know, and I already yelled at him for that." I hesitated. Was I really doing the right thing here? I had the same concerns as Yugi. Yet, my intuition told me that he would not win if he let his fear control him like this He had to at least face his problems. "I'm sure he's sorry but doesn't know how to say it. This relationship is new for the both of you, and you have not really communicated. If you talk to each other, I'm sure you can reach an understanding."

Yugi returned his gaze to me. He appeared just as tired as I felt. "I don't know, Samia. What if he takes over once I let him in?"

"I don't think he will do that. If he really wanted to, he could take control of you anytime like the Spirit of the Millennium Ring did to Bakura. I still don't fully trust him either, but you have to try to talk to him. I don't know if you can defeat Pegasus anyway."

"I understand. Thank you, Samia. I'll think about it."

I smiled slightly. "Good." My eyes flickered to the Puzzle around his neck. I knew the Spirit had listened to everything he said. While Yugi had to have the courage to talk to him, the Spirit had to do his part as well. I hoped this turned out well.

"It's already starting to grow light."

I followed his gaze to the window. Sure enough, it did not appear as dark as before. "We better get some sleep while we can." I turned back to Yugi. Did I really have to be alone again?

"You can stay here," Yugi said, as if reading my thoughts. "I don't want to be alone either."

"B-but there's only one bed."

Yugi smiled. "A really big bed. There will be plenty of space between us; more than there was last night."

That was true. Plus, on the boat, I had slept nearly on top of Bakura. Still, sleeping in a bed seemed a little different. I used the last of my strength to check Yugi's emotions. Sure enough, his offer was entirely innocent. "Ok. We can do that. Thanks."

Yugi took off his Puzzle, and I took off my glasses. Then we climbed under the covers. We really did have enough room to stay far away from each other. I was on the shorter side for a girl and Yugi was a little shorter than me. I turned around so that I had my back to him.

"Good night, Samia," he whispered in the darkness.

I could not help the smile that formed on my face. "Good night, Yugi."

***

I awoke feeling surprisingly refreshed. It seemed like ages since I had last slept in a bed. I yawned before searching for my glasses. As I stood up, I noticed Yugi standing near the window and staring outside. My body tensed in surprise. I had nearly forgotten about him...

"Good morning, Yugi," I said tentatively.

"Good morning, Samia," Yugi said without looking at me. He was mentally preparing himself for the day.

"I – I'll head back to my room so no one finds out I was in here."

"Good idea."

I wished I had a word to say to reassure him, but I came up empty handed. Suppressing a sigh, I quietly exited the room. I prayed I would not run into anyone in the hallway, especially Tea. And what would Bakura think if he knew I had gone to Yugi for comfort instead of him?

My thoughts slipped away as I made it into my room. I then focused on getting ready for the day. I had to reserve my energy for when it would really be needed.

Just when I was set to leave, there was a knock on the door. I tensed as I felt something strange from the other side. Was it Pegasus? I held my breath while I slinked over to the door and opened it. My breath left me in a sigh when I saw it was only Bakura.

"Good morning, Samia," Bakura said with a friendly smile. "Did you sleep well?"

The odd feeling I had faded, and I figured I was just imagining things. "I slept fine. Did you?"

"Well, I can't remember last night very well, so I assume that means I slept well."

Something nagged at me again. Irritated, I pushed the feeling away. Bakura was my best friend, and I trusted him. There was no way he had been up to no good. "That's nice." My eyes flickered to the Millennium Ring around his neck.

"Hey, guys! Let's get going!"

Joey's loud voice prevented my intuition from transmitting its warning into words. Bakura and I turned around to see Joey, Tristan, and Tea approaching us.

"Where's Yugi?" Bakura asked.

"He must still be in his room," said Tea.

"We better go get him or he'll be late for the finals!" Joey exclaimed.

I closed my door and followed the others down the hall. I took deep breaths so that I would appear normal. Though Yugi and I had done nothing wrong, I still did not want anyone to suspect anything. It was easier that way.

Joey knocked on the door, but he did not bother to wait for a response. He opened the door wide, and we all hurried inside. Yugi appeared to be in the same position that I had left him. He stood near the window with is Puzzle on but jacket off. His emotions had warmed up some, which was encouraging.

"How are you doing, guys?" Yugi asked.

"Aren't you ready yet?" said Tea. "You're going to be late."

"And if you're late, they'll disqualify you right out of the tournament," Joey added.

Yugi nodded and grabbed his coat. "Let's do it."

We filed out of the room, and I fell in step beside Yugi. There was one more thing I had to do to ease my mind. "Uh, Yugi?" I glanced at his Puzzle and then back at his face. "Can I talk-"

Yugi blinked. "Oh, sure. Just make it quick."

I smiled slightly. "Thanks." I took a deep breath before placing my hand on the Puzzle, keeping it here while I walked. _"Spirit?"_

_**"What do you want now?"**_

His tone was not harsh, but his words still caused me to flinch. _"Have you talked to Yugi yet?"_

_**"No. He won't listen to me. He's not going to let me duel, and he will lose."**_

I bit my lip. Yugi was a good duelist on his own. He was good enough to win the tournament, but the Spirit was right that he would need his help to beat Pegasus. Still, there was something bugging me. We had almost reached the dueling area, so I decided to trust my intuition and pass along the words it gave me. _"There's something here more important than winning. Figure out what that is and Yugi will trust you again."_

I dropped my hand before I could heard his response. Everyone not dueling had to watch from the balcony, so this was where we parted from Yugi and Joey. I gave them both a smile before walking off with Bakura, Tristan, and Tea. It was all up to those two now.

We stood on the same balcony overlooking the arena that we had the previous day. Currently, the arena was empty. Suddenly, Croquet's voice rang throughout the room announcing the beginning of the playoffs. The doors opened, and out stepped Yugi, Joey, Mai, and Bandit Keith.

The doors opposite of the duelists opened, and Pegasus entered with Croquet and Kemo on either side of him. I gripped the railing as a shiver passed through me. I remembered Pegasus' offer the night before. Why did he want me to join him? The Spirit of the Millennium Ring had wanted me too. Did I really have the potential to be that powerful? I certainly felt powerless today. Bakura put a hand on my shoulder, and I smiled at him gratefully.

"Yugi, Joey, Mai, and Bandit Keith," Pegasus said, "I welcome all of you to the playoff arena. Here is where the last great Duel Monsters duel shall be waged to determine the championship of the Duelist Kingdom. Only one of you shall emerge victorious. Only one of you shall win the $3 million prize. And, of course, the victor in the playoffs shall also earn the right to challenge me in the final match."

"Challenge you?" Tristan said. "Well, isn't that special? And what does the playoff winner get for defeating you in the final duel?"

"The victor will be granted one request: whatever his – or her – heart most desires. And, if it is within my vast power to do so, their wish will be granted. The victor will also be declared the undisputed Duelist Kingdom Champion, ranked number one in the world."

"The champion of the world?" Tristan said in awe.

"And, boys, that will be me," Mai said with determination.

"Surely any duelist who has come this far must realize that the title and not the money is the real prize," Pegasus said. "Is that not so?"

"You're a regular comedian," Bandit Keith said.

"Listen you," Joey said, fired up already, "the money's all I need. For my sister's operation."

"Yes, yes," said Pegasus, "I'm sure some of you have more riding on this tournament than others. Hmm, Yugi?"

Yugi's emotions rushed at me, and I clenched my teeth in response. I gripped the railing so hard that my knuckles turned white. Pegasus had taken too much from Yugi. I wished there was more I could do to help him.

"He won't lose," Bakura said to me quietly. "I'm sure of it."

"Alright, let's get this show on the road," Pegasus said. "Only one of you will emerge victorious from these playoffs, but I wish you all good fortune. Now shuffle your decks, and may the best duelist win." He sat on a large chair that could have belonged in a palace. His two guards stood on either side of him.

"The first duel will now begin," Croquet said. "Mai Valentine versus Yugi Motou. Duelists, please proceed to the arena."

Yugi and Mai took their places on opposite sides of the arena. I could clearly tell that it was indeed Yugi who was dueling. The Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle was there, but he was being held back. This was not good.

"Before we begin, you must each show me the card required for your participation," Croquet said. Mai and Yugi held up their cards. "Both qualify. The duel may proceed."

"Good luck," Tea said. "Go Yugi!"

Suddenly, Joey barged in between Tea and Tristan and leaned against the railing. The rest of us looked at him in surprise.

"Joey!" Tristan said.

"What's with you, Joey?" Bakura asked.

"What?" said Joey. "I was just getting a bird's-eye view of the action. Go Yug! Wipe her out, man."

_Come on, Yugi._ I silently willed for him to at least consult with the Spirit of the Puzzle before dueling. When it became apparent that he would not, I had to call out to him: "Yugi! Remember what I said! You can't let fear get in the way of making the right decision!" I felt confused eyes on me. Only Bakura and Yugi seemed to understand.

"I know, Samia," Yugi said, "but there are some things I can't risk."

"Your greatest danger is holding back!"

Yugi looked away and did not respond. I grit my teeth in frustration.

"Do you think he'll be alright?" Bakura said softly from my side.

I let out a heavy sigh and shook my head. "I don't know, Bakura. He needs to trust himself... and the Spirit." Despite my own doubts, I knew one thing for sure: if Yugi and the Spirit did not work together, this was going to be a long duel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I enjoyed writing this chapter. It was nice to slow down for a bit. Now the real action is about to begin! :)


	9. Chapter 8

"Here I come, hotshot!" Mai said.

"Right!" said Yugi.

Then they both said: "Duel!"

Ma started off the duel by playing her Harpie Lady in attack mode. I recognized the card from her duel with Tea.

"That move is Mai's standard opening ploy," Tristan said.

"Yugi, be careful! Watch out!" Tea called.

"Nothing to worry about," Joey said. "Yugi knows what's coming, Tea. He's seen Mai's Harpie Lady in action like a billion times already."

"And now I'll lay down a second card, which will finish my turn," Mai said as she set down either a trap or magic card.

It was Yugi's turn, and I focused on reading his emotions. He was nervous and anxious. It seemed like he wanted to act quickly and defeat Mai without the help of the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle. That could spell trouble if he rushed and didn't think things through.

Yugi summoned Gaia the Fierce Night, one of his strongest cards, and attacked Harpie Lady. However, Mai used her trap card, Mirror Wall, to reduce Gaia's attack power by half and stop his attack.

"Yugi, slow down!" I shouted at him. "Even I know Mai wouldn't summon Harpie Lady without a plan to block your attack!"

"I know what I'm doing!" Yugi said forcefully. There was anger in his voice, but I felt fear behind it.

"Don't worry, Samia," Joey said. "He just made one mistake. He was probably so eager to duel in the finals that he let his guard down. It won't happen again."

I glanced at Joey doubtfully before biting my lip and gripping the railing tightly. I felt someone's hand on my shoulder and turned to see Bakura looking at me sympathetically. He was worried as well, but his presence helped.

Mai played Cyber Shield, which powered up Harpie Lady enough to destroy Gaia. Yugi seemed shocked that his monster could be defeated so easily.

"You know, you're friend's right," Mai said. "I'm amazed you fell for that trap, Yugi. Don't tell me you're losing your edge in the Championship Game. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're holding back."

Yugi ignored her and drew card. He played Summoned Skull, another powerful card, and attacked Harpie Lady again. Just like before, Mirror Wall took effect and cut Summoned Skull's attack power, making it too weak to finish the job. Apparently, Mirror Wall was a permanent trap, which Yugi would have figured out if he had noticed there was still a hologram of the card on the field.

"You better hurry and get that little brain of yours in gear, Yugi," Mai taunted.

"Most of the trap cards I've encountered before disappear from the field once they've been sprung, so your permanent trap took me by surprise," Yugi said, speaking way too honestly. "It's the exception to that rule."

"It's very exceptional, just like me. As long as it's on the field, it will unleash the same delightful effect again and again every time you launch an attack. Get it? No matter how many times you try to come at me, your monsters can never reach my Harpie Lady. Let's face it, you're gonna have to bring your game up a few notches just to keep me interested, Yugi."

"Mai's right," Bakura said. "Yugi's game seems off."

"His strategy is whack, man," Joey said, finally feeling frustrated. "He can't just attack. Why isn't he thinking through his moves like he's always telling me?"

"Oh, Yugi, what are you thinking?" Tea murmured.

My jaw hurt from clenching my teeth. Now that everyone else had noticed, I had to speak out again. "Yugi, stop letting your fear control you! I know you think you're just being cautious, but if you follow fear you won't be able to tell what your intuition is telling you. You can't trust your heart if you're trusting your fear. I would know!"

Yugi looked at me with a sad expression. I sensed he knew I was right, but he did not yet have the courage to change his mind. "There are some things I'm not willing to risk, Samia."

_For goodness sakes, Yugi, the Spirit is not going to hurt Mai. This duel is totally different form the duel with Kaiba._ I dared not speak out loud for fear of drawing suspicion from Pegasus and his guards.

"What is with you?" Mai said. She was disappointed and annoyed. "I expected a real battle from you, and all I get is this lame frontal assault. The only reason I duel, Yugi, aside from the island trips, the boats, the cars, the prize money, is the thrill of trouncing a _worthy_ opponent."

"Are you saying I'm not worthy?" Yugi said.

"Not today, kiddo. Your body may be in this arena, but your head and your heart are split for parts unknown. It's really a letdown."

"You're questioning my fighting spirit as well?"

"Bingo. It seems like you're still shell-shocked about the trouncing you got from Kaiba in your last duel. Well, get over it. I'm your opponent now, and I want to beat someone battling at his best, not some duelist who acts like he's afraid of his own shadow. You've got to shape up, Yugi, and get your act in gear or I'm gonna knock you out of this tournament."

"You don't understand," Yugi said. "It's not about Kaiba."

"Well, whatever's going on, it's borrring."

"I can't let you win, Mai!"

" _Let_ me win? Listen, hun, the way you've been playing today, I don't think there's a single thing you can do to _stop_ me. I promised you an honorable duel, Yugi, and I thought you'd give me the same. You ready to duel for real now? Are you gonna put your heart in it or are you going to punk out?"

"I wish she'd zip it," Tristan said. "Mai's even more obnoxious when she's winning."

"Yugi!" Joey called. "Don't let her psych you out, man! You've just gotta ignore her!"

"But didn't Mai promise an honorable duel?" Tea said.

"I think she's trying to help him," I said quietly. "She wants to snap him back into action."

Tea nodded. "I was thinking the same thing."

"Let's just hope it works..." If my words couldn't reach Yugi, maybe the words of his opponent would.

"Well?" Mai said.

"Believe me, Mai," said Yugi, "I'm giving all I can. I promise you, Mai, I'm not about to lose this duel. Now, make your next move."

Mai drew a card to start her turn. Instead of attacking Yugi's Summoned Skull, she played Harpie's Feather Duster to get rid of his face down card, which would have caught her Harpie Lady in a trap.

Yugi switched Summoned Skull into defense mode and laid another card face down in defense mode. Then Mai used Rose Whip to power up her Harpie Lady. She attacked and destroyed Yugi's face down monster. Yugi essentially passed his turn, and then Mai played Harpie's Pet Dragon. The dragon's attack points were increased for every Harpie on the field, so it was able to defeated Yugi's Summoned Skull.

"Why are you playing so poorly, Yugi?" Mai said. "I've got you on the ropes, and you're barely putting up a fight. I want to duel you at your best, but there's only so far I'm willing to go. You know, I remember Joey once asked me an important question about why I duel. The answer I gave him was frivolous but honest. Can _you_ answer the question, Yugi?"

"I'm dueling for my grandfather, Mai," Yugi said.

"Hey, he's got a heck of a lot better answer than you did, Mai!" Joey shouted form the balcony. Listen, me and Yugi aren't just dueling for ourselves, you know."

"Well, that's what you say," said Mai, "but, tell me, could it be your motives aren't entirely unselfish?"

I felt a flash of anger from Joey. "Huh? What are you saying, Mai? That maybe we should be more like you? Well, I guess we could do that." He hugged himself and spoke in a mocking tone: "I'm gorgeous. I'm such a great duelist. I love me!" He held up a fist. "How's that?"

"You are such a twit," Mai said.

I knew the situation was serious, but I was amused by Joey's disappointment and frustration. He sure could be dramatic.

"Joey, can't you see I'm trying to be serious?" said Mai.

"I can see you're seriously trying to mess with Yugi's head!" He put one foot on the balcony and waved his arms in the air. "And you're making him and me and everybody else crazy and dizzy and-" At some point, he had stood up on the balcony, but his speech was cut off when he lost his balance and started to fall. My heart leapt in panic. Luckily, Tea and Trist grabbed onto him and pulled him back to safety. I took deep breaths to calm my racing heart.

"Will you control yourself?!" Tea exclaimed.

"Yugi, you need to trust yourself!" I said in the moment of silence that follows. "Use everything you have! Take a risk! If your power was too strong for you to handle, something terrible would have happened long before now."

"She's right, Yugi," Bakura said. "I know what you're going through, and I can assure you that our situations are entirely different. You have to trust us!"

Yugi looked from me to Bakura and back to me. His expression matched his conflicted emotions. "I – I won't be distracted anymore," he finally said, turning back to Mai. "I'll give it my all."

I bit my lip and held back a retort. I felt the Spirit's frustration as well. I knew he wanted to help, but he would not go against Yugi's will again. Why couldn't Yugi see that?

Yugi set a magic or trap card face down and his Dark Magician in defense mode. He still could not attack as long as Mai had her Mirror Wall in effect. Even I, with my little knowledge of Duel Monsters, could see this was probably a very obvious trap.

Mai then played Shadow of Eyes, and it forced Dark Magician into attack mode. Dark Magician was forced to attack, running up against Mirror Wall and halving his attack points. Mai played Harpie's Feather Duster to destroy Yugi's trap card and then destroyed Dark Magician with Harpie's Pet Dragon. Yugi now had 300 life points remaining while Mai still had her 2000.

"You don't even have your favorite card, the Dark Magician, left," said Mai. "What are you going to do now?"

"Yeah, what is Yugi going to do now?" Joey asked grimly.

"Yugi! You can still turn this around!" Tea said. "I know you can."

"Uh, yeah, it only looks hopeless."

I closed my eyes and focused on breathing slowly. _Please, Yugi. Make the right choice._ He was tense and fearful but for different reasons than at the start of the duel. I opened my eyes and gazed at the field. I hated feeling so useless.

"What's the problem, Yugi?" said Tristan.

"Mai is," Tea said scornfully. "She's gone and put aside all her silly card tricks and played this duel flawlessly."

"Who would have thought she was this good?" Joey said. "Could it be that it was just sheer dumb luck that I beat her before?"

"It wasn't luck, Joey," Mai said. "I lost that duel to you because you knew something I didn't. I learned more from that duel than any other I've ever played. It's true, Joey; I learned a lesson from you that day that I didn't really want to learn. I didn't know it then, but it would change me and the way I looked at dueling. I had to take a hard look at myself and admit that the reason I relied on tricks was because I was afraid. Afraid to trust in my own abilities, afraid to trust in myself. Like you trusted in yourself, Joey. And facing up to that wasn't easy, believe me."

"You've really changed, Mai," Yugi said.

Mai lifted her head to look straight at the balcony. "Joey, do you know how you made it to the final round of this tournament?"

"Heck yeah, I do," Joey said. "I made it this far because I got my friends Yugi and Tristan and Tea and Bakura and Samia behind me cheering me on and telling me that I can go all the way."

I looked at him in surprise when he mentioned me as a friend. Then I smiled as a warm feeling spread through me. I thought of these guys as my friends too. I never thought I would have so many. I guess my grandma was right when she told me as a child that great things could come from the worst of circumstances.

"That's true," Mai said. "That's very true. Your friends were with you all the way. But you also had the guts to look inside and face up to what you saw there. You looked your demons in the eye and dealt with them. And that's a lesson everyone should learn."

"I did that?" Joey said incredulously.

"That's right. In that game, you taught me that a duelist can learn more from her defeats than from her victories. You taught me to face up to my fears, not just try to bottle them up." She returned her gaze to her opponent. "So, Yugi, have you faced up to _your_ fears? Whatever freaked you out in your battle with Kaiba, have you come to grips with it?"

I finally felt Yugi weakening, and I saw my opening. "She's right!" I said, causing him to look up at me. His torn emotions caused me pain, but I forced myself to continue. "You need to face your fear and bring our your true power!"

"But what if something goes wrong?" Yugi said, eyes wide.

"It won't!"

"How do you know?"

I hesitated. While it was true my intuition told me the Spirit could be trusted, I did not think that was what he needed to hear right now. "Because you're the strongest person I know! Before I met you, I gave into my fears and stayed on the safe side. I couldn't even do anything to help my best friend. But you showed me that true strength comes from inside you. No matter what others do, if you believe in yourself and have strength of will, you will succeed. You can do this because I believe in you. We all do."

I felt Joey's hand on my shoulder, and I glanced at him to see him smiling at me. Then the others placed their hands on my back. I focused on their faith in the friend and projected these positive emotions onto Yugi. The boy turned away, seeming to be in deep contemplation. I sensed his interaction with the Spirit. _Please..._

I closed my eyes and focused on Yugi's emotions. There was a struggle, but Yugi's fear was fading. Then I sensed a change. Yugi and the Spirit must have made up, for I felt them combine with the Spirit mostly in control like when they usually dueled. Opening my eyes, I saw him looking right at me.

"Thank you, Samia," he said with a curt nod.

A smile formed on my face as relief flooded through me. Finally, the two of them had reached an understanding. I nodded back at him.

"What happened?" Bakura asked in a whisper.

"They're going to work together," I said. I knew he understood my meaning.

Yugi turned back to his opponent and spoke: "Mai, thanks for reminding me that a true duelist faces his problems. You're right; I was holding back... but not any longer." He cautiously drew a card. As soon as he looked at it, his confidence returned, and I suddenly knew everything was going to turn out fine. The worst battle was over.

Yugi played Brain Control, a magic card that allowed him to control an enemy monster for one turn. He chose Harpie's Pet Dragon, and the monster turned to face Harpie Lady.

"Nice move," Mai said, though her emotions betrayed her sarcasm. "Harpie's Pet Dragon is only a servant of Harpie Lady and, even brainwashed, it would never think of turning on its master. Yugi, you just made your final mistake."

Yugi was not fazed. "I know that, Mai, but I don't intend to attack your Harpie." He played a card face down. Then he played Catapult Turtle in attack mode. Harpie's Pet Dragon got onto the Catapult, which launched him straight at Mai's Mirror Force, destroying the magic card.

I cheered along with everyone else. _I knew the two of you could do it._ It was obviously not too late to turn this duel around. I watched as Harpie's Pet Dragon was destroyed by the impact of the attack and half of his attack points were deducted from Mai's life points, bringing them down to 850.

It was Mai's turn, and I could tell she was thinking carefully about her next move. She could easily use Harpie Lady to destroy Catapult Turtle and win the duel, but Yugi's face down card could be a trap like earlier. She decided to go the safe route and not attack. She played Elegant Egotist, turning her one Harpie Lady into three.

It turned out she had done exactly what Yugi had wanted her to do, for his face down card was a magic card, Monster Recovery, not a trap card. He used Monster Recovery to bring Catapult Turtle back into his hand, shuffle his hand into his deck, and then draw five new cards.

Yugi played a monster in defense. Shadow of Eyes should have lured it into attack mode, but it stayed in defense mode. Yugi flipped the card over and Mystical Elf appeared. Shadow of Eyes only worked on male monsters. For now, he was safe. On Mai's turn, she used Monster Reborn to bring back Harpie's Pet Dragon and then used her Three Harpie Ladies to destroy Mystical Elf.

"Your time's run out, Yugi," Mai said. "Next turn I eliminate the remainder of your life points. And then it looks like I go onto the finals."

I sensed fear and tension in Yugi again. "Don't give up!" I called. "You can still do this!" Somehow. I felt the Spirit's confidence, which gradually took over Yugi's anxiousness. I felt them draw their next card together.

"Come on now," said Mai, "we both know I'll wipe out any card you play on my next turn."

"Swords of Revealing Light!" Yugi exclaimed to Mai's surprise. Three swords stuck in the field around Mai's monsters, making them unable to attack for three turns.

Mai's surprise faded, and she smirked and shook her head. "Decided to go down fighting, huh? Well, alright. A surrender would be easier, but if you're really determined to go out in a blaze of glory, I'll be only too happy to light your fire."

"No, Mai," said Yugi, "what I intend to do is to go out in a blaze of victory." He then played... Kuriboh.

Mai appeared absolutely stunned at his choice of monster. "Oh, it's the attack of the giant three-toed hairball." Kuriboh squealed and glared at the girl. "Look, it's totally ferocious, Yugi. I think it wants to attack Harpie's Pet Dragon single-handed!" She laughed in amusement, but I knew from experience that Kuriboh could be more useful than he seemed.

Yugi continued to stare at his opponent very seriously. When she noticed this, Mai stopped laughing and frowned. "What, you don't think that's funny, Yugi?"

"It's not, Mai. Laugh all you want, but don't mistake the Kuriboh for a joke when it's an important step on my way to victory in this duel."

"That hairball couldn't be an important step on the way to anything except maybe choking a cat. Anyway, I can't attack as long as Swords of Revealing Light is still in play, so... I draw this one card, and that will end my turn. But soon, you're gonna be history."

Yugi drew a card and then played Monster Reborn to bring back Gaia the Fierce Knight. Following this, Mai drew and ended her turn. Yugi drew a card and did nothing. On Mai's turn, she revealed that she had drawn another Harpie Lady, which she could use to power up Harpie's Pet Dragon next turn. She was confident she would win the duel, for good reason. Swords of Revealing Light had now worn off and Mai was free to attack on her next turn and end the duel. I sensed hesitation and anxiety from him. I channeled the emotions of his friends once again and tried to push them out to him to give him hope.

To my surprise, it was the Spirit who was struggling the most. The pressure must have finally gotten to him. I tried my best to reach him. Thankfully, I felt Yugi give him the strength he needed. Together, they drew a card. I let go of the railing and stumbled back, gasping and wide-eyed.

"Samia, what's wrong?" Bakura said in concern.

"What happened?" said Tristan.

"Power," I said. "Power is coming from them greater than I've ever experienced."

Joey blinked. "Them?"

"Yugi and the Spirit." I returned my gaze to the dueling arena. Yugi was holding up the card he had drawn with a triumphant look on his face. I still felt the strength and power from him and the Spirit, but not I could deal with it.

"Well, Mai," said Yugi, "you've put up a good fight, but now the duel ends." He turned over the card to show Mai. "Starting with this card, Black Luster Ritual."

Mai widened her eyes in shock. "What?"

Yugi played the card. A shrine with two pots appeared on the field. "Watch. The Black Luster Ritual works by sacrificing all of the monsters I have placed on the field." Kuriboh and Gaia were each sucked into a pot. Then spiraling water shot out of the pots, coming together as they got higher up. "Combining the energies of my two separate monsters. And the forces of light and darkness intertwine, opening the gates of chaos." The platform lifted up like a door and a gold light sprang from it, turning into an armored soldier. "Bringing forth the Black Luster Soldier."

"Oh no!" Mai cried. "Is that really the legendary Black Luster Soldier?"

"Now, Black Luster Soldier, Chaos Blade Attack!" The Soldier attacked Harpie's Pet Dragon, destroying it and bringing Mai's life points down to 750. "Harpie's Pet Dragon is vanquished."

Mai was absolutely stunned. I felt kind of bad for her, but I chose to focus on Yugi's emotions. He did need to win this, after all.

"Just like, my most powerful monster is gone!" Mai said. She appeared frozen in blaze, unable to do anything. Finally, she leaned over and placed her hands on the stand before her. Her spirit was crushed. When she stood up straight again, I sensed resolution coming from her. Accepting her fate, she placed her hand over her deck.

"Mai?" Yugi said. "So, does this mean that you surrender?"

"No way," Joey said.

Tea looked around in confusion. "Wh-what happened?"

"Mai surrendered," Bakura said. "When a duelist places their hand over their deck like that it means they concede the duel."

"Poor Mai."

I nodded, smiling grimly. The bad thing about feeling people's emotions in a duel was that I had to feel both victory and defeat all at once.

"I'd rather not see my Harpie Ladies destroyed in the next turn," Mai said. "The duel is yours, Yugi. She turned and started to walk away.

"Wait, Mai," Yugi said. "There's something I want to say to you."

She stopped walking but did not turn around.

"Thank you. You said a duelist can learn more from defeat than victory, and you were correct. But you, Mai, you taught me a lot today. I had to confront my own fears, my own weaknesses or I could never have defeated you."

"It's awfully nice to say that to me, Yugi, but it seems to me I also have a lot more to learn. About dueling and about myself. But then I suppose no duelist ever learns all there is to know. And maybe the most important lesson is that defeat doesn't have to be forever. You won this duel, Yugi, but there'll be others. You and I will meet in the arena again, kiddo." She finally turned her head to look at him. "And when we do, you better watch out."

Yugi gave her a thumbs up, which she returned with a smile and a wink.

The friendship I felt forming between them warmed me and put a smile on my face. It was nice to see a duel where the opponents were not bitter enemies. I was relieved that Yugi had won and, more importantly, that he and the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle were now working together as a team. They truly were amazing when they were together.

"The first match of these playoffs has come to a close," Croquet said from his spot beside Pegasus. "Yugi Muoto has emerged victorious over Mai Valentine. He will advance to the next round."

I cheered along with everyone else on the balcony. Yugi looked up at us and smiled. I felt him take control over his body to give the Spirit a rest. I tensed when I heard Pegasus clapping.

"Well done, Yugi," he said. "Superb duel." There was something haughty and conniving about his emotions that made me bristle. "You certainly know how to put on a good show."

"What a creep," Tristan said.

Pegasus smirked and sat in his seat again. "Proceed."

"The second match of these playoffs will begin shortly," Croquet said. "Bandit Keith will battle Joey Wheeler. Prepare your decks."

"Me? Now?" Joey said. "That was sure quick."

"Joey, you're going to do fine," said Bakura.

"Come on, don't worry," said Tea.

Joey smiled at them. "Thanks. I guess I'm kind tense."

_You could say that again._ Still, he was better than Yugi had been.

After a small argument with Tristan, Joey left the balcony to prepare for his duel. I hoped he really would be alright. I had a very bad feeling about Bandit Keith. He had trapped us in a cave, after all. Joey just had to remain calm and think through his moves to win. Unlike Yugi's fear, Joey was most likely to give into his anger, which could cost him the duel.

I turned to see Yugi enter the balcony while everyone else was distracted by Joey coming through the doors and taking his place on the dueling arena. I smiled at him, and he nodded at me, stopping to stand beside me.

Joey's eyes went wide when he noticed that Bandit Keith was not standing opposite of him. "Huh, what's the deal? Where's Keith?"

A loud yawn brought my attention to a couch off to the side of the main floor where Bandit Keith was currently lounging. "What time is it?" he said.

Joey glared at him. "What are you doing? Get over here!"

"Hey, chill out. The pummeling will commence as soon as I'm good and ready, so don't get your briefs in a bunch. You got that, blondie?"

"Stall as long as you want, Keith, but you're gonna have to duel me sooner or later."

"Tournament verification cards, gentlemen," said Croquet.

Bandit Keith held up a playing card that had a picture of gold. "No problem. Hey, dweeb, show the man your card."

"Sure," said Joey as he dug in his pocket. "It's right here." E suddenly started to panic.

"Tournament verification card," Croquet said again.

"I know. Just give me a minute, would ya?" His panic grew as he searched all his pockets several times. "I know it's in here somewhere."

"He lost his tournament entry card?" Tea said in shock.

"He couldn't be that absent-minded," said Bakura.

"Yeah, he could," said Tristan.

"Well, what a shame," said Bandit Keith from his spot on the couch. "I guess I won't be needing to get up off this couch after all."

I narrowed my eyes at him. He was way too calm for the situation. He was not even surprised that Joey did not have his card. I decided to keep a close eye on him.

"Well, don't get too comfortable 'cause once I find that card-" Joey started to say.

"If," Croquet corrected him. "If you find it within the set time parameters the regulations allow.

"You mean there's a time limit?" Joey sputtered out.

"Retrace your steps, Joey," Tea said. "Are you sure you put it in your coat?"

"Well, I guess that it could have fallen out in the room. I'm gonna head back there and check it out." He turned and ran towards the doors.

"Five minutes," Croquet said.

Joey looked back at him in shock. "What?"

"Your match will begin at 11 o'clock sharp. Extensions are given to no one. If you haven't returned with the card by 11 o'clock, you will be disqualified."

Joey tensed. Then he hurried out of the room.

"No fair!" Tea shouted. "That's barely enough time for Joey even to make it back to the room!"

"These are the rules, and they will be enforced," said Croquet.

In frustration, I let go of the balcony and took several steps back. There was something wrong with this situation, but I could not put my finger on it. Joey had better find that card...

"Samia!"

My emotions were rained in by Yugi's voice. I realized I had backed up into the wall, and Yugi had followed me. I blinked. "Yes?"

"Thank you for helping me back in that duel." He smiled sheepishly.

I shook my head. "I didn't do anything. It was Mai."

"It was both of you. I owe you a lot. You were right – the Spirit made a mistake, and I believe he can be trusted." He brimmed with confidence and ease. "Thank you for believing in him – and me. I know the others don't fully comprehend his existence, so I think it's good he has a friend in you."

I widened my eyes. Friend? I had been angry with the Spirit and yelled at him. Why would he consider me a friend? I could sense him now, and his emotions did not contradict Yugi's. Well, if it was what they wanted, I would be a friend to both of them. "You're welcome. You two make a great team. You were amazing out there."

Yugi grinned. "Thanks. If we work together, I know we can defeat Pegasus and save Grandpa and the Kaiba brothers."

I nodded. I had a feeling they were the only ones who could accomplish all of that.

"He wants to talk to you."

I blinked in surprise. "What?" Once I realized what he meant, I reached out my hand to touch the Puzzle, but before I could, the Spirit suddenly took control of Yugi's body.

"I would prefer to talk this way, if you don't mind," the Spirit said in a voice deeper than his counterpart's.

"O-okay." I smiled weakly, unsure of what he wanted to see. His emotions were difficult to read.

"Yugi is right: you helped him and you helped me. Thank you."

"B-but I was afraid of you too. I told Yugi to work with you because he had no other option. And I said all that stuff to you while I was mad..."

The Spirit chuckled. "That is precisely what helped the most. You are a lot stronger than you let on. You could stand up to me in your mind, but I have not seen you do anything similar out loud."

I bit my lip and glanced down. "Yeah..." I had always been shy, and it was a source of great shame. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and when I lifted my head, I found myself caught in the Spirit's unwavering gaze.

"You have a lot of potential. You need to believe in yourself like you believe in your friends. I am sure there is much you can accomplish."

"I – I don't know." I had spent so much time thinking there was not much I could do to help anyone that it was hard to hear someone say something contrary to that.

"You told me there is something more important than winning, and I see what that is now. Victory does not mean anything if it is not achieved honorably. Values such as friendship are more important than winning. You may not always speak up, but I know you would defend your friends and your values if you were pushed into a corner. I think that is very admirable."

I felt my cheeks heat up at his praise. The only person who had ever said anything similar to me was my grandmother, and she had not been around for years. I never expected this Spirit of all people to think so highly of me. Was there really good I could do with my powers? I sensed Pegasus staring at me, and I turned to look right at him. His piercing gaze caused me to shiver.

The Spirit frowned. "What is it?"

"W-were you awake when Yugi ran into Pegasus and me last night?"

He nodded. "I was there."

"I forget to say why Pegasus was bothering me. He wants me to join him. He said my powers are useless right now, but he can train me so I and accomplish great things."

The Spirit gasped, and I felt his surprise for one of the first times. "Why would he make such an offer?"

I shrugged. "He thinks I'm weak?"

"Then he is sadly mistaken. I know you can resist him. Still, stay close to Yugi and me. I won't let him hurt you."

His concern brought a smile to my face. "Thank you." Now that my fear was gone, I could not ignore the pull I felt towards him. I felt an attraction to Yugi as well, but there was something about it that was different with the Spirit.

It looked like he wanted to stay more, but we were interrupted when Joey ran back into the room. I nodded at him, and he switched with Yugi. Then the two of us rejoined the others at the balcony railing. We all cheered for him as he triumphantly held up a card just as the clock struck 11.

Bandit Keith was mortified and shocked beyond belief, which further raised my suspicions. Oh well. All that matter was that Joey could duel now.

"Very well then," Croquet said. "The duel will proceed as scheduled."

"Alright, Keith," Joey said. "Naptime is over. Time to duel."

"Fine," said Keith from the other side of the arena. "You know, a part of me wanted you to show up. A nice little warm up match might do me some good."

"I'll warm you up and wear you out!"

"Just you try it."

"The second match of these playoffs will now commence," said Croquet. "Joey Wheeler, Bandit Keith, prepare to duel. Ready, begin!"

Bandit Keith took an early lead with his machine monsters. After some time, though, Joey came up with a strategy to defeat them. It was an intense battle to be sure, and my intuition continued to tell be there was something up with Keith. I sensed anger and darkness form him. I bet he was made about losing the Intercontinental Championship to Pegasus and wanted revenge by beating him. Joey, on the other hand, was motivated by his friends and love for his sister. In the end, love triumphed over revenge as Joey defeated Keith's final machine monster, bringing his life points down to zero.

Croquet raised his arm in the air. "Joey Wheeler, you are the victory."

I cheered along with Joey and everyone else.

"This duel doesn't count!" bandit Keith exclaimed as he slammed his hands down on his platform. "The entry card that Joey showed to play in this match wasn't even his. Therefore, the duel shouldn't count, and he ought to be disqualified right here."

"He's right," Joey, said, holding up the card. "My card was missing so Mai gave me hers. But tell me, Keith, how could you have known that this wasn't my card?"

From Keith's stunned emotions, I could tell that he had stolen Joey's card. That was what had felt off!

"I'm all ears," Joey said. "So, why don't you explain yourself?"

"He doesn't need to," Pegasus said. "It's clear that Keith stole Joey's card. That's why he was so certain that you would never be able to find it."

Joey glared at Keith. "You snake! I knew it!"

"That big cheat!" said Tea.

"Then Keith ought to be disqualified, not Joey," said Tristan.

"Oh, Keith ought to be disqualified, all right," said Pegasus, "but not simply for misdeeds outside of the dueling ring. There was quite a bit of improper conduct taking place during the match that I observed too."

I widened my eyes. "He cheated!" That was what my intuition had been trying to tell me. I needed to learn how to focus in on it more.

"Is that so, Keith?" Joey said angrily.

"Oh, yes," said Pegasus. "Keith kept his set of seven completed cards beneath his wrist band. That way, he could power up his Slot Machine monster whenever he chose."

"Man, Keith, that's low."

"Take the scoundrel away. Far away."

I winced as I felt Keith's anger and hatred. I clenched my hands into fists when two guards dragged a resistant Keith off of the dueling arena and out of the room.

"Well done, Joseph," Pegasus said. His cool and calculated emotions made me shiver. "You should be quite proud. You dueled admirably." I could tell Joey did not think highly of his praise.

Suddenly, Keith ran through the room straight for the dueling arena. When he reached the platform, he used it to hoist himself up into the ledge where Pegasus sat. "Pegasus!" he cried in rage.

I stared in shock, but Pegasus was not fazed at all when Keith stood next to him, pointing his finger at him threateningly. "You truly are a stubborn one, aren't you?"

"Can it. You ain't talking your way out of this one. Now hand over that prize money or else."

"Oh, certainly, Keith, I'll do whatever you say. Just give my body a moment to recover from the complete paralysis that your terrifying demand has shocked me into."

"Okay, wise guy, I'll give you 'till three."

"Hmm... Fine. One, two, three. He pushed a button on the floor with his foot, and Keith suddenly fell down a hole."

I felt his terror, causing my heart to beat rapidly. I instinctively moved back and ran into Bakura's chest. I smiled slightly when he put a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"Now, the finalists for the next match will receive a ten minute recess," Croquet said. "So rest up. Our host wants you both in top form for your duel."

The mood cooled as Joey looked up at the balcony and met Yugi's gaze. I fidgeted uncomfortably. The two of them had to duel now. While this meant one was assured victory, it also meant only one of them could achieve what they wanted. How could I root against one of my friends? How could I survive being pulled in two directions?

"It's going to be alright," Bakura whispered in my ear.

I nodded. Somehow, it had to be. And hopefully this battle would prepare either Yugi or Joey for the ultimate challenge: facing Pegasus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't normally write out a duel turn for turn, but I thought it was necessary this time. And I thought it worked to summarize the second duel for length purposes. Let me know what you think.


	10. Chapter 9

Yugi and Joey's emotions were intense as they stood on opposite sides of the dueling platform. They were both fighting for family they loved, but only one of them could win. Their friends up in the balcony were almost as tense.

"Who would have guessed that, out of all the duelists who started in this tournament, two best friends would wind up in the final match?" Bakura said.

"Yeah," said Tristan. "This is definitely harsh, but at least one of them's going to get a chance to take on Pegasus."

"I guess you're right," Tea said, "but don't you think it'd be easier if they just flipped a coin or something? Then we could get our match with Pegasus now."

"I don't think that it works that way, Tea."

"Well, why doesn't it? Yugi and Joey are like brothers. They shouldn't be forced to fight each other like this." Her distress and frustration flowed through her words.

"I totally hear what you're saying, but it's just how this tournament works."

"Well, I don't like it!"

I agreed with Tea. However, the strength of her emotions magnified my own, so I forced myself to focus on the duelists on the field. Yugi appeared torn, but Joey actually seemed confident and determined. After sharing some words, Joey managed to ease the burden from his friend. Yugi merged with the Spirit of the Puzzle, and they were ready to duel.

Surely the stakes were not as high as the two of them made them out to be. Whoever won could easily obtain what they both wanted by defeating Pegasus. Why did I sense they wanted to duel hard against each other?

"Your gracious host will now make a few opening remarks," Croquet said.

"Congratulations, duelists," Pegasus said as he stood from his chair, "you're the finest in the world. And for that reason, I'll look forward to a match that's sure to consist of your dueling best. After all, should you give me anything less, I will know."

I shivered as I felt power from the Millennium Eye. I hated he was amused that two friends were now pitted against each other. I trusted that they would show him that their friendship was stronger than this!

"Yugi, before we start, I just want to say thanks, man," Joey said. "Just look at me. I'm in the final match of the niftiest Duel Monsters tournament that's ever been thrown. And it's all 'cause of you, bud. You got me here. You looked out for me."

"You're wrong, Joey," Yugi said. "You earned your place here."

"Thanks, pal. Just know that, no matter what happens here, you're my friend and you always will be, Yug. But, uh, don't think that means I'm gonna go easy on you in this match... or that I expect you to go easy on me. I'm ready for your best. So let's do this!"

Yugi nodded.

"I don't think Pegasus has to worry much about these two not dueling their very hardest," Bakura said, quickly glancing at me.

"Yeah," I said, "for some reason, they both _want_ to duel." Maybe it was a male respect thing that Tea and I did not understand.

The duel commenced. It did not take long for it to heat up. Yugi and Joey dueled without holding anything back. They constantly stopped each other and overcame the other. Yugi seemed to have a slight advantage, though, because of the way he was able to remain calm and think through his strategy.

"Oh my," Tea said in worry after Yugi destroyed one of Joey's best monsters.

"This is what I meant," Bakura said, referring to something he had mentioned earlier in the duel. "No matter what happens, Yugi keeps a laser-like focus and makes the big plays when they really count. And now I guess we'll see if Joey can do the same."

"How can Joey make a big play with that Dragon Champion out there?" Tristan asked.

"It's not about what's out. You see, just as Yugi was able to keep his cool while facing that Flame Swordsman, now Joey needs to maintain his focus even while he's being attacked by his best friend. He's being forced to think on his feet."

I gazed at the duelists, gripping the railing to hold in their strong emotions. "Why are they battling so hard?" I said. "They're fighting each other without anger. It feels like they're trying to do something... positive."

"I'm sure you can figure it out." Bakura placed a hand on my shoulder and gave me a gentle smile. "Don't focus entirely on the emotions themselves. Try to really think about it."

He wanted me to exert more control over my powers. I had failed in the past, but I wanted to try now. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I felt the boys' emotions. With that I added everything I knew about them and their friendship. From there, I felt my intuition rise, attempting to guide me to the answer.

I opened my eyes and gasped. "They're pushing each other to duel their best so that whoever wins will have the best chance of beating Pegasus!"

Bakura smiled and nodded. "Very good."

"That's amazing," Tea said.

"Even though they're being forced to fight against each other, they've actually found a way to help each other. It's quite impressive."

This new revelation eased my concerns and lifted some of the burden off of me. Now that I knew the reasons behind the emotions I felt, it was much easier to handle them. I let go of the railing as I looked down at the duel.

Sure enough, Joey came back hard. The duel grew in intensity as it progressed. I found myself getting into it. I could not tell who was winning anymore. My intuition told me Yugi had to win, but... could he?

Joey now took more time to make his moves, and his choices seemed to be better for it. The hot-headed guy was finally thinking through his moves and using strategy to overcome his opponent. This battle must be so fierce because the two of them knew each other well. They could both come up with great plans of attack and defense!

Finally, Yugi gained the upper-hand when he defeated Black Skull Dragon, Joey's strongest monster, with a powered up Dark Magician. Joey tensed as he struggled with what to do.

"Poor Joey," Tristan said. "He really got slammed there. You think this duel's over for him?"

"Well, it depends on what he does next," said Bakura. "

I glanced at him. "Huh?"

"What do you mean?" Tea asked.

"Losing that Black Skull Dragon was a heavy loss but not a critical one," Bakura said. "If Joey can just pull himself together, he can still win this duel."

"But should he?" I said.

Tea frowned. "Why does it matter?"

I bit my lip and looked away. Bakura understood my question, but I knew the other two could not. They still did not understand. Joey was an amazing duelist, but could he really stand up to the power of the Millennium Eye? And what would Pegasus do if he missed his chance to obtain the Millennium Puzzle by defeating Yugi? I shivered at the thought.

Joey finally drew a card. He summoned Baby Dragon in attack mode and played a card face down. Yugi responded by attacking Baby Dragon with Dark Magician. However, Joey's face down card was a trap that stopped Yugi's attack.

"Well, Yug," Joey said, his confidence back, "I'd say that last move brings us to the home stretch, wouldn't you?"

"I would," Yugi said. "And now, Joey, let's finish this match and find out which one of us will duel against Pegasus!"

I let out a breath, my body tense. This was hit.

"Hey, Yug?" Joey said.

"Joey?"

"Just know it's been a real honor dueling you."

"Likewise."

"How cool," Tea said. "Even now, in the midst of battle, they're friends first."

"They have strong wills," I said. "Pegasus didn't count on that." I bet he hoped to have an advantage over the victor's emotions because of this duel.

"I know neither of us want to lose this match," Joey went on, "but if I do, I'm glad it was to you, buddy. Now let's duel like you said, Yugi, and finish this duel!"

Yugi inclined his head in acknowledgement.

"And maybe this draw will do just that. Guess there's just one way to find out. Here goes." He drew a card, and the next second he lit up in excitement. "Unreal! I pulled the one card in my whole deck that really can finish this duel and decide a winner!"

My heart pounded in my chest. What did he mean by that? The next moment, I found out. Joey played Time Wizard, a card that could bring victory to either duelist depending on chance.

"Kind of strange that this is all coming down to a card that you gave me," Joey said. "You were right, Yugi. That card you gave me saved my kiester quite a few times in this tournament. And now, with my Baby Dragon on the field and both of us just life points away from winning or losing this duel, I'm gonna give it one last spin and hope it saves me again. So cross your fingers and get set to adjust your clock because here it comes! Go, Time Roulette!"

The giant clock on the field started to spin its arrow. I held my breath. Finally, the arrow landed on a Time Machine spot, which meant that everything on the field aged by 1,000 years. Baby Dragon turned into the Strong Thousand Dragon while Dark Magician aged into a weak old man.

"Look at the Dark Magician!" Tea exclaimed.

"He's aged, like, a thousand years," Tristan said. "He's no match for Joey's dragon."

"I'm not so sure about that," I said.

For once, Bakura was the one who appeared surprised. "What do you mean, Samia?"

"I – I don't know." I swallowed a lump in my throat. "I don't know as much about Duel Monsters as you do, but I can feel Yugi's emotions, and he does not seem like someone in shock or despair because of an impending defeat." It was hard to explain, but my intuition told me there was more going on than met the eye.

"Let's just wait and see what happens."

I nodded.

Joey's excitement bounced off the walls as he ordered his dragon to attack Yugi's monster. However, Yugi countered with Makiu the Magical Mist, stopping the attack. Everyone except me expressed shock. I knew Yugi and the Spirit had something up their sleeves.

"How did you play Makiu when it was still my turn?" Joey asked in bewilderment.

"With magic," Yugi said. "A magic so powerful it took my magician a thousand years to learn it."

"Say what?"

"That Time Warp did age my Dark Magician, but it made him stronger, not weaker. And with age comes great wisdom. A thousand years of wisdom that have transformed him into... the Dark Sage!" The Magician suddenly turned into a wise, powerful-looking wizard. "An ultimate magician whose new powers let me play one magic card during every one of your turns and every one of mine. And the magic card I chose to counter your attack: Makiu the Magical Mist. With its enchanted rainfall upon the field, your dragon's smokescreen was neutralized before it reached my mage. Now I invoke his powers for my turn... and draw this magic card."

Emotion welled up inside of Yugi as he glanced at the card he had drawn. I knew he had won the duel. Yet, I could tell it was difficult for him to defeat his best friend. I reached out to him with my own feelings of understanding and compassion. _It has to be done._

"You've fought a valiant duel, my friend," said Yugi, "and this is the hardest move I've ever had to make... but this ends now. I play Monster Reborn and call the Black Skull Dragon back from the graveyard!" The powerful monster appeared on the field once more.

Frustration and disappointment coursed through Joey. Remarkably, he soon gained control over his emotions, and they were replaced by... acceptance. "Yugi, go for it!" he exclaimed. "It's cool."

"All right. Black Skull Dragon, Molten Fireball Attack!"

Yugi's dragon destroyed Joey's, bringing his life points to zero. Yugi had won. The two friends stared at each other from across the platform.

"I tell you, that was really tough to watch," Tristan said.

"Yeah," Bakura said. "Just imagine what those two must be feeling." He looked at me.

I nodded. "It was tough, but... they're still friends, and that's what counts." I admired how they were able to retain their maturity and values even in the heat of battle. Both of them had the spirit of a hero in my eyes.

"I'm just glad it's over," Tea said as tears trickled down her face. "I'm so proud of them both. They dueled their hardest and never once forgot their friendship."

"Let's go see them" Tristan said.

The rest of us nodded and followed him down the stairs into the anteroom. We arrived just as Yugi and Joey entered. They faced each other and shook hands, causing me to smile. This particular struggle was over.

"Well, Yugi," Joey said, "we knew one of us had to lose. The good news is that one of us got to win too. Congratulations, man." He held out his entrance card. "Here, this is yours now." Yugi only stared at the card. "Come on, it's all yours. You show Croquet this card and he'll give you three million bucks in prize money."

Yugi pushed the card back towards Joey, his mind made up. "No, Joey, you should keep it. Your sister needs that money."

"Yug..."

"I didn't enter into this tournament to get rich, Joey. I'm just here to save my grandpa and the Kaiba brothers. Please, use this money for Serenity's operation."

"Really?" Joey started shaking from relief, joy, and gratefulness.

"What do you say, Joey?"

It took a minute for him to calm down and speak, though tears flowed freely. "Yugi, when I lost the duel, I lost all hope of saving my sister, but now, Yugi... thank you. Now go and take down Pegasus!"

Their friendship created warmth inside me. In the past I would have been jealous, but now I was inspired. They were my friends too, and I was glad to have them with me. Once Yugi won the final duel, this whole adventure would be at an end. I was looking forward to returning home, but I promised myself I would not lose sight of all the good that I had gained.

"We'll let you get ready for your big duel," Joey said.

With that, all of us except for Yugi returned to the dueling arena. This time, we stayed on the main level so we could wait for our friend. Silence spread over the room. Anxiety filled me, and I was unsure if it was from me or someone else. Something big was about to happen, and I felt a need to do something to help.

I was helpless. Yugi and the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle were always the ones to save me and everyone else. What could I possibly do for them?

I brushed the thoughts away when I heard the doors opening, revealing Yugi. I offered him a small smile while everyone else cheered him on. My intuition tugged at my mind. There was something I needed to do...

"The time has come," Croquet said. He stood across from us on the other side of the dueling platform in front of the chair where Pegasus was now absent. "Would Yugi Muto, the challenger please enter the duel ring? Mr. Pegasus awaits you."

"Go get him, Yug," said Joey.

Determination swept through Yugi. He merged with the Spirit, letting him have most of the control. I breathed slowly in an attempt to gain control of my emotions. If those two were working together, then they would win this battle. They had to.

"He looks so determined," Tea said as Yugi walked onto the dueling platform.

"Yugi, take him down!" Tristan shouted.

"We know you can!"

"Put that slime ball in his place once and for all!" Joey said enthusiastically.

Somehow, I could not join in my friends' cheering. I still felt that there was something else I needed to do. Why did I not have a better understanding of my powers?

"The challenger has entered the stadium," said Croquet. While he spoke Pegasus entered the room flanked by two guards. "And now, for your dueling pleasure, Castle Pegasus is proud to present the creator of Duel Monsters and all of its wondrous cards, the undefeated, undisputed ruler of Duelist Kingdom, Maximillion Pegasus!"

A shiver ran all the way through my body. This was it. The fate of all of us rested on the outcome of this one duel.

"And now," said Croquet, "let the duel begin."

Pegasus took his deck from the guard on his right. He then whispered something to him. The guard nodded and turned, walking out of the room, while Pegasus took his place on the dueling platform opposite of Yugi.

"So, Yugi boy," he said, "you've turned out to be quite the young duelist, battling your way past all the other challengers, winning your way into the castle just to face me."

"Pegasus!" Yugi exclaimed in rage, pointing at him. "Before we begin this duel, I want you to agree to keep your promise that, if I defeat you, you'll release my grandfather's soul to me."

"But of course. I'm a man of my word."

"And that's not all. You must also free the souls of Seto and Mokuba Kaiba."

"What a strange demand. I thought you hated Kaiba as much as you hate me, Yugi."

"Maybe I need to keep a vow of my own, Pegasus." Yugi grew silent while emotions stirred inside him. I remembered when I ran into him on the island and thought I knew what was going through his mind.

"Ah, I see," Pegasus said. "A vow to Mokuba." Power emanated from the Millennium Eye. "Okay, Yugi boy, if it will put your mind at ease, I agree to your terms." He held up three cards – the cards that held three souls. An uneasy feeling formed in the pit of my stomach. "If you win your battle with me, I shall free these three from their lonesome prison of souls."

"Pegasus is up to something," Tristan said.

"I know," said Joey. "I think he planned to take on Yugi in the final match all along."

"He forced him to enter after all," I said, remember the story of how Pegasus snatched the soul of Yugi's grandfather. "He wants something from him." _The Millennium Puzzle._ The spirit of the Millennium Ring had wanted it too. Exactly what kind of powers did it hold that made it worth all this death and destruction?

"I hope that Yugi can handle him," Bakura said. "Throughout the entire tournament, Pegasus stacked the deck in his own favor every step of the way."

"Are you kidding me?" Joey said. "Yugi's gonna kick his keister! When this is all over, Yugi's gonna be the undisputed champion. Pegasus won't even have a clue what hit him."

"He's right," said Tea. "I know it."

Bakura and I exchanged a look. The others still did not comprehend the situation. This duel would be about more than who had the greater skill. Tristan said nothing, and I felt his uncertainty.

"I don't know..." Bakura said.

"You can't have such a negative attitude, guys," Joey said. "Yugi's counting on us too."

"But Pegasus has never played fair," said Tristan. "He started by kidnapping Yugi's grandpa. And going into this final match, we don't know what kind of tricks he'll pull."

"Whatever tricks he tries, whatever cards he plays, Yugi will overcome them!" Tea said. "Yugi hasn't come all this way to lose in the final match."

I wished I shared her confidence. While I knew Yugi and the Spirit were powerful, I could feel that Pegasus was just as powerful. This was going to be close. I turned my gaze to Yugi as I waited for the start o the duel, when suddenly, I felt a pair of hands on my shoulders.

"You're coming with me," a deep voice said.

I nearly jumped out of my skin from the shock. It was not often that someone snuck up on my due to my powers. I needed to focus more! I craned my neck to see one of Pegasus' guards looming over me.

Bakura glared at him. "Get away from her!" He ran at the guard, but the guard held out is hand and pushed him to the ground.

"That's not cool!" Joey said.

"It will be easier if you don't struggle," the guard said as he started to pull me to the right.

"Where are you taking her?" Bakura said as he got to his feet.

"She's done nothing wrong!" said Tea.

"Samia!" Yugi and the Spirit exclaimed together.

Ironically, the concern of my friends affected me more than my own distress. The guard had a good grip on me, and I stumbled backwards as he pulled me away.

"Don't worry, Yugi boy," Pegasus said smoothly. "I'm simply inviting her to watch the duel from the best location." I could not discern his motivations, but I knew they were not pure.

"No, she's staying with us!" Bakura declared.

"It's fine," I said, smiling weakly. I looked up at my guard. "Where do you want me to go? I can walk." I sensed that there was no harm in complying, and if it made everything easier, I would play along.

"You better not try anything," Tristan said.

The guard let go of my shoulders and walked with me instead. He led me to the opposite side of the room where Croquet stood in front of Pegasus' chair. My guard motioned to him.

"I will be watching over you now," Croquet said coolly.

"What is the meaning of this?" Yugi said, glaring at Pegasus.

"She seems to think her powers can help you, so I'm making sure she has that chance," said Pegasus. "And when she ultimately fails, I want her to be here to experience your pain."

My eyes widened in horror. He wanted to break me! Croquet was guarding me so I did not run off, not that I planned to...

"Leave her out of this!" Yugi said.

"Don't worry about me, Yugi," I said.

Yugi flicked his eyes to me in surprise. "But, Samia-"

"I can handle it. Focus on your duel."

He stared at me for a long moment. No, _they_ stared at me. Finally, Yugi dipped his head. "As you wish." He returned to glaring at his opponent. "Let's begin this duel."

I knew I should not feel anything positive due to the circumstances, but I was glad I had made friends who cared about me. This was my chance to do something for them back. I still did not know how I could help Yugi, but something told me there was a way. I would save my energy for the battle that was to come.

"Challenger Yugi Muto, as per the rules of the Duelist Kingdom Tournament, present the card that entitles you to participate," said Croquet.

"As per your rules, here it is," Yugi said, holding up a blank card. "Glory of the King's Opposite Hand."

"So it is. And so the stage is set for the final and deciding duel of the Duelist Kingdom Competition. Just as the card you hold is a blank slate, there are no limits to the prize you may request of your opponent if you are victor. You can decide if you wish to take over his company as your reward for winning. You can ask for this entire island or to have Mr. Pegasus' Millennium Eye as your prize."

"Any request will be honored?" Pegasus said in mock astonishment. "Wow, that's what I call a prize. Do I know how to throw a tournament or do I know how to throw a Duelist Kingdom Tournament?"

_He doesn't believe he can lose,_ I thought. And with the powers he held, it was no wonder. _Come on, Yugi. You can do it._

"Promise me that you'll free the souls of my grandfather and all the others," Yugi said.

"Yes... But if I'm the one who defeats you instead, you have to fulfill your end of the bargain as well. Take a close look at the card you hold in your hand, Yugi boy. There's a reason that it's blank, you know... For if I win, I claim your soul... forever! So, you see, you have much to gain but much to risk as well."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take to free the souls of my grandpa and the others, but I don't plan to lose."

"We shall see."

"We will indeed, Pegasus."

"So courageous! So defiant."

Suddenly, the weight of it all came crashing down on me. If Yugi lost here, he would lose everything. The souls of Yugi and the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle would be lost. Pegasus would gain control of the Puzzle, and he would likely go after Bakura next. What would happen to the others? They would likely be let go, but I had a feeling that Pegasus would find a way to 'convince' me to become his student.

How could Yugi be so confident? Is friends feared for him, and so did I. Though I had only met them recently, I could not bear the thought of losing him and the Spirit. Images flooded my mind of the days that followed my parents' death. I could not go through that again!

"Do not even think about running," Croquet said in a low voice.

I realized I had took several steps backwards, my hands splayed by my sides. I felt trapped. There was nowhere for me to run to. I would surely be caught if I even tried. Maybe I could hide behind Pegasus' 'throne'...

_No._

A small voice inside me broke through my fear. It would not end like this. I had to be strong. My own emotions were too unstable, so I reached out and clung to Yugi's. His courage gave me what I needed to calm down. I stepped forward and relaxed my hands. Maybe I would be useless in this fight, but I knew Yugi could win regardless.

"I hate to disappoint you, Pegasus," Yugi said, "but I have no intention of ever becoming part of your soul card collection.

"The final duelist contest will now begin," said Croquet. "The winner will be declared King of Games. Two men holding silk covered trays were lowered onto the field by some sort of platform from the ceiling. "Now both of you cut and shuffle each other's cards.

Yugi and Pegasus placed their decks on the trays. Then the men walked to the opposite side of the field and held the decks out to the competitors. Yugi shuffled Pegasus' deck, but Pegasus nearly touched Yugi's.

"Now the cards will be returned," said Croquet, "the scores reset, and..."

"Duel!" said Yugi and Pegasus. They drew their cards.

I looked across the room, freezing when I did not see my friends. My senses told me to look up, and I relaxed upon seeing that they had returned to the balcony – probably to get a better view o the duel. Tristan was missing, though. Had he gone to the bathroom? I had no time to worry. I refocused my gaze on Yugi.

Yugi started the duel by playing a card face down and placing a monster in defense mode.

"Ooo... sneaky play," Pegasus said mockingly. "That wouldn't be a Beaver Warrior, would it?"

From Yugi's reaction, I could tell that the guess was correct. It seemed that Pegasus really could use his Millennium Eye to read minds. _Don't let him get to you..._

On his turn, Pegasus also played a cad face down and set Archery Girl, a weak monster, in defense mode. Yugi seemed to waver before two options, but he finally decided to attack Pegasus' monster by switching Beaver Warrior to attack mode and powering him up with his face down card, Horn of the Unicorn.

However, Pegasus activated a trap card, Tears of a Mermaid, effectively nullifying the attack and stripping Beaver Warrior of Horn of the Unicorn. Next, Pegasus switched Red Archery Girl to attack mode and destroyed Yugi's monster. Frustration seeped from Yugi.

"How indeed?" Pegasus said after a moment of silence. "I think – oh, wait – I _know_ you're just beginning to comprehend my power. Do you now realize the magnitude of the jeopardy you've put yourself in by accepting this duel? How can you defeat not only the creator of Duel Monsters but a duelist who can read your every thought? I can see everything in your mind: your hopes, your dreams, even your fears. And what you fear most right now is me! And with good reason. You know my mind reading abilities give me an unbeatable advantage!"

I felt the emotions Pegasus described. Fear gripped my own heart as I realized that this terror was rare for Yugi – and rarer still for his Spirit companion. If those two felt this way, was there really any way to win? I closed my eyes and hugged myself.

It felt like I was surrounded by my dying friends and family, but I could not run out to help because I was drowning. _No, not again._ Scenes flashed through my mind: my parents leaving for Egypt; learning of my parents' death, the wake and funeral; soothing a young boy I met many years ago?

My grandmother came to mind. She was the only person who had encouraged me in my powers and helped me to believe in myself. _"There's always a way,"_ she said once. _"When others say it's impossible, that's when you know you have your chance."_

My eyes snapped open. "No!" I shouted.

Stunned silence filled the room. I was the last person any of them expected to have an angry outburst. Normally I would be way too self-conscious to continue, but this was important.

Pegasus fixed his gaze on me, and I found relief in the fact that he cannot read _my_ mind. "Oh? Surely you of all people know the reality of the situation, Miss Samia," he said, relaxed once again.

"I know you have a huge advantage, but it does not matter. You are not unbeatable; you only want us to _believe_ you are. That's how you have so much control. You started this whole thing by kidnapping Yugi's grandfather. And we're trapped on an island with nowhere to go. You use fear and intimidation to push us into submission. I know a thing or two about fear, and I discovered it only has power over you if you let it." My surging emotions gave me strength and power as I glared at him defiantly.

"Samia..." Yugi said softly.

"And you don't give up!" I said, turning to him. "Don't believe what he says. You _can_ do this."

Yugi stared right at me for a long moment. I felt _both_ of them stare at me. Finally, Yugi nodded. "Thank you, Samia." He glowered at Pegasus. "No matter what the odds, I will never surrender to you, Pegasus! I play one monster in defense mode and end my turn. Now, do your worst."

"I always do," Pegasus said with a laugh.

The sound of a phone ringing caught my attention. I looked to my left to see Croquet taking out a cell phone. He took a step away from my and held up his hand to muffle his voice, making it hard to hear what he was saying. I could sense something was wrong. If it made the bad guys upset, it was surely nothing that could harm _us_.

"Could it be? My turn?" Pegasus said. He drew a card without even looking at it. He was still trying to use his tricks to win! "It's the moment you've all been waiting for. Watch closely, Miss Samia. First, Ryu-Ran in defense mode." An egg appeared on the field, and arms and legs popped out of it. "Not _eggs_ actly what you were expecting, is it? And I switch the Archery Girl to defense mode too. Your move, Yugi."

"I'll scramble your egg!" Yugi declared. "If that's the best you've got, I'll still defeat you."

"Could the card you just drew be Summon Skull?"

"Curse you, Pegasus."

"I think the Summoned Skull will go very nicely with your Celtic Guardian, Spellbinding Circle, Magical Hats, and Horn Imp."

"Don't let him psych you out, buddy!" Joey yelled from the balcony.

"That's right!" Tea shouted. "You can still beat him!"

"She's right!" I said. Yugi's confidence waned again as fear threatened to take over. "Have faith! There's always a way."

"Are you so confident, Miss Samia, that you would become my pupil if Yugi lost?" Pegasus stared at me, his Millennium Eye glittering.

"No!" said Yugi. "She has nothing to do with this!"

"But she does, Yugi boy. You just have not figured it out yet."

What did he mean by that? He seemed to know a lot about me and the Millennium Puzzle. Did he know about the Spirit? "If Yugi wins, you need to give me one piece of information about me or my powers."

Pegasus smirked, amused. "Deal."

"No, Samia!" Bakura cried.

"You don't need to do this," Yugi said.

For some reason, I felt no fear. "It will be fine. You're not going to lose." Instead of letting Yugi's emotions overwhelm me, I attempted to send my positive feelings over to him.

"If that is what you want," he said slowly, his own emotions calming.

"This just got very interesting," Pegasus said with a laugh. "Let the duel resume!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing that cliffhanger was funny. Don't worry, the rest of the duel will be in the next chapter. I have also decided to split the story up by season. Duelist Kingdom is almost over!


	11. Chapter 10

" _Am I that strong_  
_To carry on?_  
_I might change your life_  
_I might save your world_  
_Could you save me?"_

– "Falls on Me" by Fuel

"Be careful, Samia!" Bakura called from the balcony.

"You too, Yugi!" said Tea. "And don't let that creep intimidate you!"

I really did not know what had gotten into me. I could not remember ever having this much courage. Yet, looking at Yugi and the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle, I couldn't _not_ do something to help. And if I could find out information about my powers, it would be worth it.

Croquet suddenly took a step away from me, piquing my curiosity. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him talking into a radio. He spoke in a low tone, but I could still make out his words.

"What? What do you mean Mokuba's missing?" he said. "He is instrumental in the plan to take over Kaiba Corp. Find him immediately. Idiot! How hard could it be to recapture a soulless body? Do not make me come down there."

I did not let any surprise show on my face. How could Mokuba have escaped without his soul? Then I remembered Tristan was missing from the group. This must be his doing. I hoped he stayed out of trouble.

"Go ahead and make your move, Yugi boy," Pegasus said smugly, bringing my attention back to the duel.

Yugi played a card face down and Summoned Skull in defense mode. Then Pegasus switched Ryo-Ran to attack mode and attacked Summoned Skull. Yugi activated the trap card Spellbinding Circle, stopping the attack and reducing Ryo-Ran's attack points.

"Oh _no_!" Pegasus said dramatically.

"Alright!" Tea exclaimed.

"Looks like Pegasus is in big trouble!" said Joey.

I was not so sure. If Pegasus could read minds, he knew about Yugi's trap card. Did he really not have any cards to get around the trap? Was he sacrificing his monster so Yugi could not use the trap later on? From Pegasus' emotions, I suspected that he had something up his sleeve. This was no time for Yugi to be lowering his guard.

Yugi switched Summoned Skull to attack mode and ordered it to attack Ryo-Ran. However, Pegasus stopped the attack with Trap Displacement, which switched the effects of Spellbinding Circle from Ryo-Ran to Summoned Skull. I bit my lip. I was right.

"Why, it's almost as if I knew exactly what you were thinking, isn't it?" Pegasus taunted. He then had Ryo-Ran attack Summoned Skull, destroying it. Yugi's life points were now 1400 while Pegasus' remained at 2000.

"That mind-reading cheat!" Joey said. "What the heck's the use in going on?"

"Don't say that!" said Tea. "No matter how bad it looks, we can't give up, Joey."

"There has to be a way," I said, though I was unsure if anyone other than Yugi heard me. He had to think of a plan before he lost his confidence again. There had to be a way to counteract Pegasus' magic.

"Fat chance," Pegasus said, staring straight at Yugi. "Nothing you do can stop it. Face it, Yugi, you're at the mercy of my Millennium Eye. Don't you see? I already know every card you keep in your deck and have in my possession every card needed to stop them. I can see every strategy your feeble mind has concocted and have already designed my own counter tactics to render them completely useless. But even without my Millennium magic, you're no match for me. After all, who needs magic with this card? Perhaps you'll remember it." He held a card up. "That's right, Yugi. It's the magical Toon World." He played the card, and a book appeared on the field, opening to display a cartoonish popup of a castle.

"I thought as much," Yugi said.

I remembered the card from when Pegasus dueled Kaiba. Much of his strategy had depended on it. Even if Yugi did find a way around Pegasus' Millennium Eye, he now had a second problem. I clenched my teeth in frustration. _Come on..._

Pegasus' monsters, Red Archery Girl and Ryu-Ran were sucked into the book. "As you recall," said Pegasus, "Toon World protects my monsters beneath its impenetrable hard-back bindings. Bindings that they'll only vacate when they're about to attack you." The book opened, and his monsters appeared, transformed into toon monsters.

Manga Ryu-Ran attacked Yugi's face down monster, which was then destroyed. When e finished his attack, he returned to the book. Pegasus then switched Red Archery Girl into attack mode to finish his turn.

Yugi summoned Celtic Guardian and attacked Red Archery Girl. Their attack points were even and should have cancelled out, but the mermaid was somehow able to stop the attack with her shell. Red Archery Girl threw Celtic Guardian off of her and then destroyed him with her arrow.

Everyone was confused as to how this had occurred. Thinking back, I thought I could deduce the answer. "You need a toon monster to destroy another toon," I said. "Toon World protects them as long as it's in effect, and only other toons can penetrate it."

"Very clever," Pegasus said. "Perhaps you're not entirely useless after all."

Yugi looked at me in surprise. "But I don't have any toon monsters."

"Then find a way to make one or get rid of Toon World!" I said.

"I am afraid that will not be happening," Pegasus said. "Not as long as I can still read Yugi boy's mind."

_But you can't read mine._ Maybe I had to be the one to come up with some solution. Pegasus was not the only person with a Millennium Item. Yet, how could the Millennium Puzzle help Yugi? _Think..._

My attention to the duel diminished as I tried to concentrate and figuring out this puzzle. I did notice that Pegasus played a permanent trap card that prevented Yugi from placing monsters in defense mode. All monsters placed in defense were turned to stone, and once they were destroyed, half of their defense points were taken from Yugi's life points. My sense of urgency quickened. If I did not think of something soon... this duel could be over within a few turns!

Pegasus used Doppelganger to mimic one of Yugi's cards. He chose Summoned Skull, and the monster jumped into Toon World to become Toon Skull. During Yugi's turn, he noted he had drawn the Dark Magician. Yugi grew silent, and I sensed that he was verging on hopelessness.

"It certainly does," Pegasus said seemingly out of the blue. "Oh, sorry. Were you having a private conversation with yourself? I really must learn to stop butting into other people's business. After all, accepting defeat is such a personal matter."

"Don't you listen to him, Yug," Joey said. "Remember everything at stake here: your grandpa, Mokuba, Kaiba."

"They're all counting on you, Yugi!" Tea added. "And we know that you're going to come through for all of them! You can do it! We believe in you!"

"Yeah!"

"How inspiring," Pegasus said with a smirk. "Why so silent, my dear?"

He looked straight at me with his normal eye, causing me to shiver. I wanted to show Yugi my support, but I felt like I needed to do something more than just use encouraging words. My powers should have allowed me to do _something_. Why would both Pegasus and the Spirit of the Millennium Ring want me on their sides if I were not a threat?

"Of course you've accepted the inevitable," said Pegasus. He turned back to his opponent. "Your turn, Yugi boy, but what's a poor duelist to do? If you show your monsters in defense mode, I'll fossilize them, and if you throw them in attack, I'll destroy them."

"I'll play the Dark Magician in attack mode," Yugi said.

"Ooo... the Dark Magician."

"And I also protect him with the Magical Hats." A giant magician's hat appeared and concealed the Dark Magician. Then the hat split into four hats so it was unknown where the monster stood.

"Ah, I see."

"See what?"

"With your feeble attempt to hide your Dark Magician, you're hoping to stall until you can find a way to overcome my Toon World, but it won't work. Don't get it? You're not capable of concealing your secrets from me, and those silly magic hats won't help you hide. All I need to do is probe your feeble mind to learn which hat hides your mage. Or have you forgotten the power of my Millennium Eye? You might as well surrender now and save yourself the embarrassment of a crushing defeat. Prepare yourself, Yugi boy. Here I come."

_No!_ I was unsure if the fear I felt came from Yugi or me, and it did not really matter. I shut my eyes tightly. I was on the verge of something, but I could not come to the necessary conclusion. Still, something propelled me to speak anyway. Maybe Yugi could put together the pieces I had assembled. It was do or die time.

"Yugi!" I exclaimed, my eyes wide. "Pegasus isn't the only one with magic! I've seen you do incredible things with your Millennium Puzzle – things I would have never thought possible. I sense great power from your Puzzle. It's a power greater than even Pegasus'. You just have to tap into it." But how? It had always been the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle who had used the power. Now that I thought about it, the power was concentrated in _him_ , not the Puzzle itself.

"Remember what we talked about last night?" My heartbeat quickened as I realized everyone had their eyes on me. Somehow, I urged myself to continue. "Remember what you had to overcome? I told you what I thought you needed to do to win. Now you have to use everything available to you!"

Yugi stared at me for a long time. At first, I did not know if I had gotten through to him. His emotions finally calmed, and he dipped his head, a small smile on his face. "Thank you, Samia. I understand what I need to do."

Silence enveloped the room. I felt Pegasus using his power on Yugi, and Yugi seemed to be dialoging with himself... no, the Spirit. Tension filled him. When it died down, I flinched with the sudden change I perceived. Yugi and the Spirit had split their minds apart. I could barely sense the Spirit at all now, and standing opposite of Pegasus was Yugi... all by himself.

"Toon Summoned Skull, emerge from the safety of Toon World and attack the magical hat on the far left!" Pegasus declared. The toon monster popped out from the book and decimated the hat. "The Dark Magician has performed his last trick!"

"Maybe, Pegasus," said Yugi, "or maybe you're losing your touch."

My spirits soared as I realized what had happened. Pegasus had picked the wrong hat! Yugi and the Spirit were keeping their minds separate, so if Pegasus read the wrong one, he would not have the correct information. Shock and confusion reverberated throughout the room.

"Maybe you probed the wrong mind, Pegasus," Yugi said, "one that doesn't know where the Dark Magician hides. Or maybe your mind-probing powers aren't as all-seeing as you think."

"You dare mock the awesome powers of my Millennium Eye?" Pegasus said, terror seeping through his calm demeanor. "You go too far, Yugi boy."

"Way to go, Yugi!" I exclaimed. "I knew you'd figure it out!"

Yugi nodded at me, looking and feeling positively determined. "Thanks for the hint, Samia."

I shook my head. "You put it all together. I couldn't have thought of something this brilliant."

"No, I think you've helped more than you think." He smiled at me like he was sharing a secret, but even his emotions gave me no clue as to the meaning of his words. He looked at Pegasus, and his expression hardened. "You gained nothing from your attack, Pegasus. Even with your magic, you won't be able to win because, as Samia said, you're not the only duelist with a Millennium Item." He held up his Millennium Puzzle. "Now let's see how well your Millennium Eye measures up to my Millennium Puzzle."

"The Puzzle is greater," I said, glaring at Pegasus. "I can feel it." For once, the creator of Duel Monsters had no retort.

Yugi drew a card and glanced at it. "I lay this card face down on the field and end my turn. Pegasus, do you know what the card is that I just pulled and laid on the field? Just use your Millennium Eye to read my mind. That is, if you think you can."

Pegasus struggled to control his frustration. "No problem. You can hide nothing from me."

He seemed to be stubbornly using his power despite the setback. I felt a surge of power, but it did not come from the Millennium Eye. I no longer felt Yugi on the dueling arena. Instead, there stood the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle.

My heart nearly leapt out of my throat form the force of the emotions and power that crashed down on me. I wanted to say something, to call out to him like I had Yugi, but my throat had dried and no words would come. He looked right at me, gluing me to the spot.

"What?!" Pegasus exclaimed. "I can't tell what that hidden card is that you just played!"

The Spirit looked at him with a smirk. "Sorry, Pegasus, but I don't know what this facedown card is either. Reading my mind will tell you absolutely nothing. You see, Pegasus, I don't know what that card is because I am no longer Yugi Muto but someone else altogether. Through the magic of the Millennium Puzzle, two minds inhabit this body. Now each time you try to read one of our minds, we'll use the mind shuffle."

My body decided to allow me to move again. The intensity I felt did not lessen, but I could feel it transforming into joy and pride. "Good!" I said. "I knew you could do it."

The Spirit looked at me with a softened gaze. He said nothing but nodded slightly. I felt his thanks and smiled back at him.

I did not look away from him, but I felt Pegasus' eyes on me, and he was not pleased. I sensed it had something to do with my communication with the Spirit. Pegasus was surprised by the dueling strategy, but he was not surprised about the existence of the Spirit himself. Was it possible that those with Millennium Items could sense spirits as well? I wondered exactly what he would tell me if Yugi won.

"So, still trying to read my mind, Pegasus?" said the Spirit, returning his attention to his opponent. "Go right ahead."

Pegasus shook his head. "No thanks, Yugi boy. My mind scanning abilities are only one of many skills that I possess and that you need to worry about. Or have you forgotten who invented this game? Besides, I can sense that you're prepared to switch minds. Yes, you're ready to switch again the moment I begin to probe your mind. So rather than waste both our time, let's move on, shall we? You've still no defense against my toon monsters, and it's only a matter of time 'til I find which hat hides your Dark Magician."

"Then pick a hat," the Spirit said with confidence, "and we'll see just how impressive your master of Duel Monsters really is. But I suspect that you've relied on the magic of your Millennium Eye for so long your dueling skills have diminished."

"Even if your little theory was true, I'm still far and away a superior duelist to you."

"We shall see, Pegasus. Make your next move."

Pegasus was only trying to convince himself that he still had the duel under control, for I sensed his fear hidden deep down desperately trying to break free. He attacked another hat that did not contain the Dark Magician. Yugi took over his body for his turn. He played a card face down before switching with the Spirit again.

Annoyed, Pegasus drew a card, and his emotions took an upturn. He played Magical Neutralizing Force, a card that destroyed any magical effects on his opponent's side of the field. The Hats were destroyed and the Dark Magician revealed.

"It's all over for him and your life points," said Pegasus. "You can only watch as I savor my final victory. Does your heart grow cold knowing that your demise is only moments away?"

"You're wrong," I said under my breath. I did not know why I felt that way. The Spirit was anxious, after all. Still, something told me this was not over yet.

Pegasus ordered Toon Summoned Skull to attack the Dark Magician. The Spirit quickly switched with Yugi, who then played his facedown cad: Living Arrow. Pegasus stood there stunned.

"Since you're the creator of Duel Monsters, you must know all about the Living Arrow card," Yugi said, "and how it can fuse with any card an opponent might put into play, and it doesn't matter whether that card is a monster card or a magic card."

The Spirit took over and smirked at Pegasus. "We've thwarted your mind reading magic, and now we're going to use your very own magic card against you."

"Great work, guys!" I said, feeling ecstatic. It was strange; usually negative emotions overpowered me, but the positive emotions I now experience filled me and gave me energy and strength to believe anything was possible.

The Spirit fused Living Arrow with Magical Neutralizing Force, which he then used to destroy Toon World once and for all.

"It doesn't matter," Pegasus said, "because it's already too late for you to stop my Summoned Skull attack." The toon's attack struck the Dark Magician straight on. Your Dark Magician is vanquished."

"Sorry, Pegasus," Yugi said as he took over. "You've forgotten my other down card." He picked up the card. "It's a trap card, and it's one of my favorites: Mirror Force. It reflects back Summoned Skull's attack, and since the other card neutralized the magic that made your toons untouchable, your toon monsters return to your original form appear on the field just in time to catch the blast!"

I watched in awe as a series of monsters formed in front of Pegasus. Summoned Skull's attack bounced off of the invisible shield surrounding Dark Magician and struck every single former toon monsters, destroying them all.

"Yes!" I exclaimed, pumping my fist in the air. They had done it. They had actually found a way to overcome Pegasus' strategy and strike a blow to his confidence as well. The two of them were truly a remarkable team.

"The score stands at Yugi 900, Pegasus 600," Croquet said from beside me. "Eh, sorry, sir."

I was so focused on the combined emotions of Yugi and the Spirit that I nearly missed the change in Pegasus. Something dark overcame him, and I shivered when he spoke next.

"Yugi, I'm impressed," he said. "When I first met you, you were just another boy who showed some faint dueling promise, but with my gentle guidance... well, just look at you now! You're one step away from becoming World Champion."

"It had nothing to do with you!" I said, glaring at him. "The only guidance he had was from his friends – including the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle."

When Pegasus looked at me, any joy I had vanished like his sinister gaze were a burst of cold air. "But of course, and who inspired him to finally use the power of his Millennium Puzzle?" he sneered.

This was a different Pegasus. This Pegasus did not love toons and enjoy playing with his opponent. No, compared to the other Pegasus, I knew this Pegasus was downright _dangerous_ , which was saying a lot. I wanted to warn Yugi, but my words caught in my throat.

Pegasus smirked, knowing he had me, before returning his attention to his opponent. "You see, Yugi boy, from the beginning, that's what this whole tournament has been about, for I plan to take possession of your Puzzle!"

"My Puzzle?" Yugi said in surprise.

"I will defeat you in one realm or another, Yugi."

Darkness creeped up from the floor and spread across the dueling platform. I remembered this magic, and the feeling sent my heart into a panic. I abandoned reason and reacted on my intuition by taking a running leap from the floor I was standing on to the platform. I managed to clear the space, but I nearly lost my balance upon landing.

We were soon surrounded in a purple cloud of darkness, and I knew we were in the Shadow Realm. My first instinct was to run to Yugi, but my brain told me that might cause problems for him. I spun around to face Pegasus, who looked at me in amusement.

"Nice of you to join us, Samia," he said. "Yugi deserves at least one person to witness his defeat. Go ahead and stand by his side if you would like. There is absolutely nothing you can do to help him win." He laughed wickedly, his Millennium eye gleaming.

My heart pounding, I jogged to Yugi's side of the field. The darkness appeared to suppress my positive emotions, but Yugi was more drained. I stood on his right and gave him a weak smile. "Hey."

Yugi looked at me with wide yes. "Samia? Why are you here? This place is dangerous."

"I – I couldn't leave you alone." I did not understand it myself. Yet, in the face of everything, my fear of evil and danger did not seem important. All I wanted to do was help Yugi and the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle... if that was even possible.

Yugi gave me a tired smile. "Thank you."

"This will be interesting," Pegasus said. "You'll find your experience in the Shadow Realm this time around will be a lot harder than your last, Yugi boy. The strain of maintaining your mind shuffle will make it more difficult for you to mentally conjure up your monsters."

Just as I listed my arm to touch Yugi and support him, the Spirit took over. I hesitated before lowering my arm.

"I think I'm strong enough," the Spirit said, "so let's finish our duel now."

Pegasus drew and played Dark Eyes Illusionist in attack mode. The monster's attack and defense were both zero, which I found highly suspicious. On his turn, the Spirit played Curse of Dragon and then let Yugi take over.

"I don't think you have it in your, Yugi boy," Pegasus said. "You now have two creatures to maintain: your Curse of Dragon and your Dark Magician."

I let out a small gasp. "Yugi!" I clung to his right arm with both of mine, clenching my teeth when I felt the weight of the burden he was carrying. It truly appeared that his monsters on the field sucked the strength out of him along with inflicting pain. An internal pressure caused him to work hard to keep standing.

"Don't think that will help, little girl. You're only delaying the inevitable and dragging yourself down with him."

I glared at him but did not have the energy to protest. I held Yugi up, my knees buckling, when he started to bend over, gasping for breath. I did not have the strength to conjure up positive emotions to assist him. All I could do was offer some of my own energy. I could only hope it would be enough.

"You're looking a little pale, Yugi," Pegasus said as he placed a card facedown.  
Maybe you should give up your mind shuffle strategy. Take a breather. I can send you back to your world anytime you're ready to surrender."

"Hang in there," I murmured. As much as the stress was getting to him, Yugi was terrified of letting Pegasus use his Millennium Eye again. Why did that man have to go through such great lengths to win?

The agonies of Yugi's emotions dwindle when the Spirit took over. Heart hammering, I wanted to back away from him at first, but then I realized that just because the Shadow Realm did not affect him as much as it did Yugi did not mean I could not offer him some relief as well. I merely let go of his arm so he could draw a card and kept my left hand on his back.

The Spirit attacked with Curse of Dragon, but this activated Dark Eyes Illusionist's special ability, stopping the attack. Pegasus used his magic card, Black Illusion Ritual, to sacrifice his monster to summon Relinquished. He activated the monster's special ability, enabling it to suck in Curse of Dragon into its mouth, swallowing it. The Spirit tried to attack with Dark Magician, but Curse of Dragon suddenly popped out, taking the force of the attack and destroying it. Yugi's life points dwindled to 400.

"Your own attack reduced your life points!" Pegasus taunted. "As long as I have Relinquished in play, you're your own worst enemy! Ooo... how frustrating it must be to be you... to know you have all these great monsters in your deck, and if you dare play any of them, they will be used against you."

"This game is not over yet, Pegasus!" the Spirit said.

"No, but it might as well be. My monster's unstoppable. Watch! I activate Relinquished's hypnotic attraction." "Try as he might to resist, your Dark Magician will find my spellcaster as irresistible as your dragon did. Like your dragon, he will soon be mine." Dark Magician was sucked into Relinquished and became a shield stuck on the monster.

"No, my Dark Magician!" the Spirit cried. "It captured him too! And now it's turned him into another defense shield."

"That's right, Yugi. You're beginning to catch on, and this time I've got one of your most powerful monsters to use against you... not to mention your personal favorite, but in an attack he'll take your life points all the same. Guess you're not his favorite. Not anymore."

The Spirit did not seem to mind my presence, so I pressed against his side in response to his anger and frustration. This was all I knew I could do to help him, though it did not seem to be helping much. Yugi then took control, and I took in a sharp breath at the rush of emotions. He was trembling as he drew a card, and I willed what little strength I had onto him.

"Pegasus, I play one card facedown," Yugi said. "For my last move, I throw Feral Imp into defense mode."

I instantly understood the meaning of his worse. "Switch now!" I said in terror, my eyes wide.

"Relinquished, prepare to attack!" Pegasus declared. "Use the Dark Magician's power! Pilfered power attack! Destroy the Feral Imp!" The monster used the energy from the Dark Magician to attack and destroy Feral Imp.

"Yugi!" I held onto him as the force of the attack scourged through him like fire. I heard the Spirit echo my warning, but it was no use. The teen's body became limp in my arms, and it was a struggle to keep standing.

"You've got to beat Pegasus," Yugi whispered before losing consciousness.

"No... no..." I turned him so he was facing me and shook him. "Come on... You've got to wake up! Yugi..." My vision blurred as tears started to fall. My own pain took precedent of everything else I could faintly feel: the shock and sorrow from the Spirit, the smugness of Pegasus, and something else very distant that I could not grasp.

What I could not sense at all was Yugi's spirit. It felt like I was a child again being told the fate of my parents by adults who did not know how to break the news with tact. I was drowning in my sea of emotions, suffocating...

I shut my eyes. I wanted to be closed off from the world and everyone in it. I could not lose someone I cared about again. Not when I had just found him. I was back at my parents' funeral, helpless and alone, wishing for one person to turn to who would make it all right. Anyone...

"Forget him." Pegasus' condescending voice caused me to snap my eyes open. "The boy was weak. It takes a person of true fortitude to cope with the harsh unrealities of the Shadow Realm. Face it: Yugi is gone and it's just you two and me now."

"No!" I lowered Yugi onto the ground and then turned and glared at Pegasus. Anger was a rare emotion for me because of my ability to feel the emotions of my enemies and emphasize with them, but right now my body shook with it. "You're the weak one! Yugi is one of the strongest people I know. He follows the path of love, not hatred."

Pegasus smirked. "How has that worked out for him? And for you, dear Samia? You see, love alone is not enough to get what you want – and keep what you have. If you continue this way, you'll lose not only your parents and Yugi but everyone else who means something to you."

My hart nearly stopped while a chill swept through me. "No..." It wasn't true. It couldn't be true. How could I continue to live like this? I did not want my life to be a waste. I was tired of feeling worthless. I wanted something more.

"Samia."

I wiped my eyes and then looked at the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle, who had taken control of Yugi's body. His grief and anger matched my own, and I knew he had come to view Yugi as a partner and friend. "You have to win. Please..."

The Spirit's eyes bore with anger and determination as they bore into mine. "I will. You can count on it." His expression hardened as he looked across the field at Pegasus. "You used your underhanded tactics to overwhelm Yugi's mind. You will pay for what you did."

Pegasus' confidence had grown exponentially, and he seemed even more sinister now. "So I take it from this emotional outburst that you're having a difficult time acknowledging the fact that you've failed in your self-appointed duty to protect your little dueling protégé. Whoever you are, perhaps Yugi would have been better off without your interference."

"Don't listen to him!" I said. "That's a lie!" Pegasus knew the correct tactic to take to get to the Spirit, but I was determined to not let him get very far.

Pegasus looked at me, bemused. "How can you be so certain? You don't know very much about him."

I glanced at the Spirit. He normally had excellent control over his emotions, but right now he was not even trying to conceal them. "I know enough." I still had my share of doubts, and my fear was hidden deep down. But I knew I could trust him. I knew he was good. I felt a strong desire to stand with him and defend him. I had not used my intuition as often as my empathy, yet I could not ignore it now. I did not understand any of this, but it did not matter. "He's my friend." I took hold of his hand and gently squeezed it.

The Spirit's anger softened slightly. He was grateful for and protective of me. He let go of my hand and then used his arm to pull me close to him. I instinctively leaned into him, my hands on his back and chest.

Pegasus smirked. "How cute."

"Be silent!" said the Spirit. "For what you have done, I will show you no mercy."

"Then let the game continue. It's your turn. You no longer have Yugi to help you. Once more, your mind is an open book to me." The Millennium Eye surged with power. "The card you drew is Winged Dragon Guardian of the Fortress, a weak monster."

"I play Winged Dragon in defense mode. It's your move."

Pegasus used Relinquished to destroy Winged Dragon. Then he played Jigen Bakudan. The monster was immune from attacks and would self-destruct in two turns, destroying Relinquished and any monsters it had absorbed. The attack points the Spirit would lose would be enough to end the game, giving Pegasus the victory.

"Face it," the man said smugly, "the clock is ticking down on your demise, and there's nothing you can do to stop it! I just can't remember the last occasion I had so much fun. Remember, only two turns left 'till kaboom, and you don't have a single card in your hand that can help you. Trust me, I know."

My own emotions plus the Spirit's suddenly became too much to handle. I backed away from the platform and clutched my head. For the first time ever, I sensed despair and hopelessness from the Spirit. The reality of the situation was too painful for me to handle. Clenching my teeth, I fell to my knees.

"That's right!" Pegasus bellowed. "Neither of you can do anything to stop me! You should have stayed home where you belong, little girl."

"No..." I moaned.

"Yes! Your hero has already given up."

I lifted my head and looked at the Spirit, who felt worn and defeated. I had never seen him give up. I thought he was invincible... but that was never true, was it? He might have been an ancient spirit with no body of his own, but in the moment, I absolutely knew he was _human_. Just like Yugi. Just like me.

Then a strange thing happened. The negative emotions of others always overpowered me, making it impossible to feel anything else, but now I felt strength entering form deep inside me. It was not strength despite the Spirit's emotions, it was _because_ of them. It was almost like something inside of me felt the need to make up for what he lacked. Determination swept over me as I stood up, firm in resolve. This was _not_ over yet.

I ignored my quivering legs as I took a step closer to the Spirit. I did not know what to say to give him courage or hope. However, one question did enter my mind. A question so obvious I could not believe I had never thought to ask it yet. "What is your name?"

The Spirit's head snapped up, and he looked at me, startled. "What?"

"Your name. I never got your name." A strange peace surrounded me, making me calm and relaxed as if we were not in the Shadow Realm in the middle of a dangerous battle.

"I – I don't remember. I don't remember anything."

"Then just say the first thing that comes to mind. I need something to call you. Use your intuition."

The Spirit closed his eyes as if deep in thought. Then he opened them and said: "Yami."

The name sparked something inside me, and I smiled. "Nice to meet you, Yami. I'm Samia." I held my hand out to him. When he shook it, we felt a flicker of power pass between us.

"This is no time for introductions!" Pegasus growled.

I glanced at him. "You said you do not care if I try to help him. Just give me a minute." My fear of him had vanished. At this point, I would lose everything anyway, so why not go all out?

Pegasus narrowed his eyes. "Just hurry up." He was not pleased, but his pride prevented him from interfering.

I turned back to Yami. He really remembered nothing of his past? How lonely it must have been to be alone inside the Millennium Puzzle for thousands of years with nothing to occupy his thoughts, no memory of the past or hope for the future. And yet, here he was risking everything for people he had only recently met. And the only people who understood his existence were Yugi and me. But now it was just me.

"I'm sorry," I said. I could not articulate everything I was sorry for, and I did not see the need. My heart overflowed with compassion, and I held onto his hand to let him feel it. "You're not alone now. I'm here. I won't let you be alone ever again."

Yami may have been speechless as he stared at me, but his emotions revealed everything. I knew this was the last thing he expected me to say, but it was also what he needed. "Thank you," he finally said, dipping his head. The gratitude I felt form him made me smile. "You believe I can still win?"

I nodded. "I don't know how, but I know you will win." I paused. Now I realized what I had sensed earlier. "And I'm not the only one. Yugi's friends still believe in him – and you. Can you feel them?"

I stretched my powers past the Shadow Realm to reach Yugi's friends. I had no idea how it was possible, but I sensed them. They were purposefully sending their positive emotions to their friend. I did my best to pass this onto Yami.

"I do," he said. "Faintly. Stay close to me." His emotions calmed, and I sensed the beginning of hope.

I dropped his hand and moved to stand behind him. I wrapped my arms around him from behind, keeping our bodies pressed together. A deep emotion shuddered through us, but I had no time to reflect on it. I focused my powers on the wonderful teenagers standing outside of this dark place.

"I feel them now. They are with us. Thank you. We'll finish this together."

His warmth spread through me, and I smiled. He was back in the game. "Let's do this." I moved my head so I could see Pegasus, who was watching us with narrowed eyes.

"Are you quite through?" he scowled.

"Yes," Yami said, full of confidence once again. "I draw." He swiftly swiped a card and looked at it intensely. I focused on my connection between Yami and our friends, praying for a miracle.

"Now let's take a look!" Pegasus exclaimed. I grit my teeth as I felt the strength of his magic. The power intensified until... it was blocked. "Oh no! Impossible! Inconceivable! My Millennium Eye; it's being blocked! This can't be! My Millennium powers are totally unstoppable. I should be able to scan your every thought and strategy. I should be able to see each and every card in your deck."

His horror was so strong that I almost missed what he was reacting to. I glanced around and saw faint outlines of Joey, Tea, and Tristan standing around Yami and me – and Yugi was with them! He was unconscious, but he was still there. He was still alive! I did not know how this was happening, and I did not care. Joy bubbled up from my chest, threatening to spill out. I managed to contain it and funnel it into something that could help Yami.

"Not anymore, Pegasus," Joey said. "Not so long as we're here helping our buddy out. Get out of his mind and stay out!"

Pegasus let out a large gasp and nearly fell backward. He was absolutely stunned.

"Thank you," Yami said to the group.

"Pegasus!" Tea said. "You just don't get it!"

"You think your Eye makes all the difference," said Joey.

"But you're wrong," said Tristan. "Friends do."

"That's right," Yami said. "And thanks to them, I can save my Magician from the blast of your Bakudan detonator."

"You cannot," Pegasus said, his normal eye twitching. He seemed to be grasping at the last wisps of power. My detonator will win this duel for me despite your pathetic little friends."

"Wrong! Because now that these friends are working with me on a whole new level, this is a whole new game. Now, prepare yourself Pegasus, because Yugi's friends prevented you from seeing the cards I pull, you'll just have to take them as they come. And for this turn, they don't come any better than this!" Yami slapped down a card. Go, Mystic Box!" Three boxes stacked on top of each appeared on the field. They caused Jigen-Bakudan and the Dark Magician to switch places, freeing Yami's monster from Relinquished.

Fear began to grip Pegasus. "No! Now it's blast will only destroy Relinquished!" He glared at Yami. "No fair!" He drew a card and then ended his turn. Then Yami played Brain Control and used it to take control of Relinquished for one turn.

Pegasus was not fazed. "Go ahead and take Relinquished, you fool," he taunted. "That detonator you attached to him is set to go off this turn. It will blast your magician and deplete your life points!"

"You're wrong, Pegasus," Yami said. "Remember, I still have one more card out: the card that took the last bit of Yugi's courage to play. And now it's time to find out what it is." He flipped over the facedown card Yugi had played earlier.

"It's a ritual card!"

"Dark Magic Ritual! And to invoke it's great powers, I must make a double offering, so I offer your Jigen-Bakudan and the Dark Magician." By sacrificing Bakudan, the monster could not detonate and destroy any monster. A swirling cloud of smoke appeared as a new monster was born. "The offering has been accepted, a new power is brought forth. Now, Pegasus, behold: the Magician of Black Chaos."

Pegasus was horrorstricken, but this did not affect me. Hope and joy flowed through my body. They were going to do it. Yami and Yugi were going to win _together_.

"You may have succeeded in putting Yugi out of commission," said Yami, "but not before his final courageous act set the stage for the greatest magician in all of Duel Monsters. And with the Magician of Black Chaos, I will avenge my fallen friend. Face it, Pegasus, you're through. No card in your deck can save you now. Yugi's last act of courage will finish you."

Suddenly, Pegasus' emotions changed into a crazy sort of confidence. "You know, I think you're right about that Chaos Mage. I think he will bring about the end of this match, and a lot sooner than you may think."

"We'll see." Yami played a card facedown and a monster in defense.

"Be careful," I whispered. It was Pegasus' turn now, and I did not know what kind of psychotic scheme he would come up with.

Relinquished returned to Pegasus' side of the field, much to the man's delight. Pegasus then used Polymerization to fuse Relinquished and the Thousand Eyes Idol to create the Thousand Eyes Restrict. "He's quite the looker, eh?" he said with a smirk. The ugly monster was covered in many closed eyes. "If you think he's a real stunner now, we'll just wait until all one thousand of his eyes open up. Then I think that you'll find he's much more than just a pretty face. The end is truly in sight, wouldn't you say?"

"Not with my Chaos Mage protecting me," said Yami.

_And us,_ I thought. I focused on channeling the support of Yugi's friends – and mine.

Pegasus chuckled. "Oh, I think you'll find that, once all eyes are on your Magician of Black Chaos, he won't even be able to protect himself. Oh, trust me, you'll see what I mean very shortly."

Yami remained silent as the monster's eyes slowly opened one at a time. He was cautious yet confidence. "Pegasus, you can do your worst, but this duel will be won by the card Yugi played in his final act of courage!" he declared.

"We'll see about that. Thousand Eyes Restrict, time to open your peepers!" Once all of the monster's eyes were open, it paralyzed Yami's Chaos Mage and defense monster. Instead of feeling despair, I worked even harder on my powers.

"You haven't won yet," Yami said.

"Don't be a fool. In just a matter of moments, my Thousand Eyes Restrict will assimilate your Chaos Mage, absorb his magical powers, and finish you off with one thunderous blast! There's nothing you can do. Accept it: it's all over. Yugi's last card has failed you both. His Millennium Puzzle will soon be mine."

I opened my eyes and gazed at Pegasus. "You're going to lose. I feel it." I was not as calm as before, yet I still had the sense that everything would work out for the best.

Pegasus looked at me in amusement. "Oh, really? I think your emotions are blinding your vision, little girl."

My eyes narrowed. "You're the one who can't see what's in front of you."

"I'm afraid she's right," Yami said. Just as Thousand Eyes Restrict began to pull Chaos Mage to it, the Spirit flipped over his facedown cards: Kuriboh and Multiply, a magic card. Hundreds of Kuriboh suddenly appeared, increasing by the second. "Because it's too late to call back the absorption force spell that you just cast, your Thousand Eyes Restrict has no choice but to assimilate them all... if it can."

"Take that!" I said triumphantly, smiling.

The Kuribohs covered every single one of Thousand Eyes Restrict's eyes, reducing his attack points to 300. Then the fuzz balls exploded, much to Pegasus' horror and Yami's triumph. I closed my eyes to protect them from the blast.

"Curse you, Yugi Muto!" Pegasus growled. "You and your Kuribohs!"

"Of course, Kuriboh was my monster, so I do lose 300 life points," said Yami, "but, still, that's a small price to pay for crippling that giant eyesore."

"No!"

I opened my eyes and smirked at him. "Yes! I told you!"

"And now that your monster's transfixing gaze has been broken, my Chaos Mage is free!" Yami declared. "And you, Pegasus, are through. Attack, Magician with Chaos Scepter Blast!" The Magician of Black Chaos attacked and destroyed Pegasus' monster in one final blow. "Your Thousand Eyes Restrict has been destroyed!"

"Oh no!" Pegasus cried, clutching his head in agony.

I could hardly feel his pain, however, for my focus was on Yami's surging emotions. He had done it! Pegasus' life points dwindled to zero, and now everyone whose soul had been trapped would be set free. Best of all, I could feel Yugi's spirit coming back. It was only a matter of time now. It was then I knew my grandmother had been right.

There is always a way around the impossible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, that was a long one. I enjoyed working on it. I hope you now understand more about Samia and what motivates her. :)


	12. Chapter 11

The thrill of victory surged in my chest, and I found it impossible to contain. I detached myself from Yami and ran around to face him. "You did it!" I said with a grin. Before I knew what I was doing, I flung my arms around him in a hug.

I understood Yami's surprise, for he probably had not been hugged in thousands of years (and who knew how culturally appropriate the action was in ancient Egypt). He soon recovered, however, and I felt his warmth seep into me as he gently held me.

"I could not have done it without your help," Yami said. "Thank you, Samia."

I pulled away and smiled at him. I did not have the words to tell him how much he had helped me. I would not have had the courage to get this far without his example.

"You were right about everything, including Yugi."

Then he changed right in front of me, and my heart leapt in Joy upon seeing the other boy. "Yugi!" I did not hesitate to hug him as well. He felt different from Yami, but I enjoyed his presence as well. "I'm glad you're alright."

Yugi chuckled lightly as he hugged me back. "It's thanks to you and Yami. Thank you for staying with him and helping him."

I took a step back and nodded at him. It perplexed me that these two were thanking _me_. I could not recall doing much, but I appreciated the sentiment.

Yugi's expression hardened as his gaze fell on Pegasus. "You're finished, Pegasus. We've won."

Pegasus stood frozen in shock. Finally, he collapsed over his duel station, his head in his hands. "I've lost!" he cried in agony.

The remaining tension in my body evaporated as the purple smoke faded and I felt us return from the Shadow Realm. I felt fatigued, but it was the good kind of tired that is earned after a hard day's work. I turned and smiled sleepily as Joey, Tristan, and Tea rushed towards us.

"You guys, thanks," Yugi said.

Joey placed his hand on his friend's shoulders and smiled at him. "Man, Yug, you did it. You really did it. You really, finally did it."

Annoyed, Tea pulled Joey off of him. Then she smiled at Yugi. "What Joey is trying to say is that it's really great you and your grandpa are going to be reunited."

"Yeah, sure," said Joey, "but also, Yug-"

"Also," Tristan interrupted him, "we wanted to say how impressed we are with you for being so brave and all."

"Yeah, impressed. And we're-"

"And," said Tea, "we're proud too."

Irritation rolled off of Joey. "You guys stole everything I was going to say!" At that, the rest of us laughed.

Then Tea's eyes found mine. "Samia, thank you for staying with Yugi. I don't know how you were able to get in there with him, but at least he had one friend to support him."

I looked at her in surprise. I searched her emotions but found no ill will. I smiled slightly. "Of course. I did what I had to." I sudden realized something was off. "Hey, where's Bakura?" I scolded myself for missing something so obvious. What kind of best friend was I?

Tristan rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well, you see, during the duel, we tried to rescue Mokuba, but we got caught and Bakura suffered for it. But I brought him and Mokuba back here. They're recovering on the balcony now."

I knew he was not telling me the whole truth, but I was too tired and relieved to care. "Okay. Thanks for looking after him."

Tristan smiled sheepishly. "No problem."

"Wait guys," Tea said, "let's not forget this isn't over until Pegasus releases everyone's souls just like he promised."

"Yeah, Tea's right," said Joey.

"So then let's go grab the creep," said Tristan.

We turned around to face the dueling arena only to find that Pegasus no longer stood on his side of the field. Now I felt irritated at myself for not sensing his departure. This was no time to rest.

"Why am I not surprised by this?" Joey said.

"That slippery, double-crossing snake," Tristan growled. "Let's go find him!"

"But we can't just leave Mokuba and Bakura here all alone," Tea said.

"Hey, up here!"

My heart lifted at the sound of my best friend's voice. I looked at the balcony to see Bakura waving at us with a smile on his face. He was too far away for me to gouge his emotions. "Bakura, are you alright?" I called.

"Yes, are you?"

"I'm swell."

"So you're feeling back to normal?" Tristan said.

At this, Bakura looked at him blankly. "Back to normal? Have I not been normal, Tristan?"

Suspicion filled my mind, and I sent Tristan a sharp look. "Don't tell me..."

Tristan flinched, seeming to realize his error. "Sorry, Samia. I didn't want to worry oyu." He looked up at Bakura again. "Yeah, the weird ring you wear around your neck was making you act like a real freak again."

"The Spirit," I muttered darkly.

"His Millennium Ring?" Yugi said. "Where is it now?"

"Gone," said Tristan. "I chucked that thing as far away as I could."

"Oh well," Bakura said. "If it was making me act weird, I guess it was for the best, but it appears I'm fine now."

Still, I could not shake my doubt. I had the feeling it was not that easy to get rid of a Millennium Item. But Bakura seemed fine now, and I had other things to worry about.

"Well, if you're okay," said Tea, "could you watch Mokuba for us?"

"Sure. I suppose."

"Good, now let's go and find that creep Pegasus," said Joey.

"We'll be right back!" I called to Bakura. I felt bad about leaving him again and hesitated as the others started to run.

"Come on, Samia!" Yugi said.

I shook off my worry and followed him out into the hallway. Once we dealt with Pegasus, we could finally go home and I could return to my normal life. Then everything would be fine between Bakura and me. Like nothing had happened.

While we ran through the castle, I tried to pick up on the Millennium Eye like I had the previous two days. I could hardly feel anything, and I surmised it was because of Pegasus' defeat. Frustrated, I relied on my friends to lead us in the correct direction.

We were headed to a nearby tower on the castle's ground when Pegasus' screams suddenly belted from it. I stopped and clenched my teeth in pain.

"Are you alright?" Yugi said, looking at me in worry.

"Pegasus has been hurt!" I gasped.

"Who cares?" Joey said. "Let's keep going."

Yugi stayed beside me as we jogged to the base of the tower. Stairs led up to the top, and a group of people had just emerged. Croquet was with several other guards, one of who carried a moaning Pegasus on his back. I sucked in a sharp breath as his pain filled me. Something was seriously wrong. Then it hit me: I no longer sensed the Millennium Eye at all.

"Croquet, what happened to Pegasus?" Yugi asked.

"It's none of your concern," Croquet said. "He's suddenly taken ill."

"But what about Grandpa and the others? He promised he'd free their souls. He promised!"

"Not my department." Croquet departed with the guards and Pegasus.

"Man, did you get a look at Pegasus?" Joey said.

"Who or what could have done that to him?" said Tristan.

_Someone powerful,_ I thought. _Or someone who knew he would be vulnerable._

"I don't know," Tea said. "Maybe we should check out the tower, you think?"

I nodded and started up the stairs after the others. The pain and discomfort I felt slowly faded. Still, I shivered at the eerie feeling I got upon entering the room on top of the tower. Something dark had definitely occurred here recently.

"So, this is where Pegasus hangs out?" Joey said. "Whoever that woman is, she sure is pretty."

I followed his gaze to a large portrait of a beautiful blond woman hanging on the wall. I felt an odd emotion staring at it, but I could not place it; I simply felt she was important to Pegasus.

Tea diverted my attention by talking about a diary she had found. She opened it, and a card fell down, which Yugi picked up. I stood beside him and he showed me the card. My eyes widened. It was a picture of the same woman in the portrait!

"Read the diary," I said. "It may tell us why Pegasus did this." I sensed there was more than what lay at the surface. Too much just did not add up.

Tea nodded. " _She wrote about that lady. She seems to be very important to him. 'Darling Cecilia, at last I've finally found a way to restore you to this world. It's an elaborate plan but not one beyond my genius. It involved the Kaiba Corporation and some ancient magic I plan to harness when I obtain more Millennium Items._ ' You're right, Samia; this could be it! This might explain why he set u p the tournament, and why he went after Yugi."

"And maybe who this girl is," Yugi said, holding up the card he found.

"It's pretty obvious he's hung up on her," Joey said.

A shiver ran down my spine. _He did it for love._ That much I had already figured out. If he was capable of love, then he was not a total bad guy, but I did not like the implications of this. It was better when things were black and white. Like my mother taught me. And what type of magic did the Millennium Items contain? I had a feeling they were what my mom warned me about, but I could not help but listen as Tea read from the diary:

"' _Cecilia, oh my lovely darling Cecelia, you know how I loved you since the first moment we met, those many years ago. I'll never forget that day. It was at a party at me father's country estate. It was a gala event with celebrities and tycoons from all over the world. Anyone who was anyone was there. By far, the one that impressed me most was you. Even though we were only children, I knew I was in love. We were drawn to each other, and from that moment on, we were inseparable, you and I. You inflamed my passions, inspired me to become a painter, and you were my favorite subject. I was so in love, and just when I thought things couldn't get any better, you agreed to marry me! It was the happiest day of my life. But it was cut short, for when we said our vows, you were struck down by a devastating disease, taken from me and this world._

"' _It was as if a blow had struck me from the heavens. I was filled with sorrow. From that moment on, I could no longer paint. My heart grew bitter and cold. Unable to accept the idea that our life together was forever lost, I decided to scour the earth in hopes of finding a way to revive you. My journey son brought me to the Great Pyramids of Egypt, that mysterious land whose people believed in a life after death. I had just begun to explore an ancient city when fate had intervened. I was greeted by a man who could sense my sorrow. He said "the search to feel the pains of a broken heart will lead to only great pain." He instructed me to go home, but I couldn't. I realized that, if he knew of my pain, then he could help me heal it. I followed him against his wishes, or so I thought._

"' _Although the passage seemed to reach to the bowels of the earth, I still followed. I was led to a hidden crypt, apparently buried beneath centuries of civilization. The man soon found me there. He claimed to be a guardian of these things called Millennium Items. He said the only way to leave was to be chosen. I was given the Millennium Eye, either as a gift or a nightmarish curse. I have passed the test the Eye was willing to give. The Eye gave me the power to see into the world beyond. At last I was reunited with you, my love._

"' _But seeing wasn't the same as feeling and being with you. I should have once again been engulfed by despair, but seeing you for that brief moment gave me more hope than I thought possible. Even though you were gone from my world, I knew there was still a way to reach your spirit, and I wouldn't rest until I would bring you back and once again touch the flower that is your face and gaze into your eyes once more._ ' It goes on to say that, later, Pegasus got an inspiration. He found a way to combine Kaiba's virtual technology with the magic of Millennium Items to restore Cecilia." She set the book on a table. "But nothing about Grandpa and the Kaiba brothers."

"Hey look, three soul cards," Yugi said, looking at three blank cards on the table, "and they're all blank."

"Pegasus must have freed them!" Joey said.

"Let's find out!" said Tea.

"Yeah!" said Tristan. The three of them started for the stairs.

Everything was happening too fast for me, and I needed to slow down and reflect. I placed my hands on the table as I stared at the book. Pegasus wanted the Millennium Items so he could restore his lost love. Why did he have to go to such lengths to obtain them? It was not like Yugi would give him the Millennium Puzzle if he asked, but he could have borrowed it...

I remembered how I felt when my parents were taken from me and also when I thought I had lost Bakura and then Yugi. Fear had filled me, and it had been hard to think rationally. "Pegasus must have been desperate," I murmured.

"Yeah," Yugi said from beside me.

I glanced at him and saw him looking at the painting of Cecilia thoughtfully. I had not realized he had stayed behind as well. "Is it wrong for me to feel bad for him? To wish I could have helped him?" I always felt the pain of those I opposed to me, but this was the first time I felt that way when physical pain was absent.

Yugi looked at me and tilted his head to the side. "I don't think so. It's better than blind rage and hatred. I think it's better if we can turn our enemies into friends, don't you think?" He smiled at me.

"I guess." My grandma had said something like that once. She said everyone deserved compassion, but then my parents instilled fear in me. I could not be too trusting or I would be taken advantage of. Yugi seemed very compassionate, and yet he used that as a strength in order to survive Duelist Kingdom. My head hurt from the conflicting messages. I would definitely need some downtime to reflect on all this once I returned home.

"Let's go find the others," Yugi said.

I nodded and followed him to the stairs. However, we stopped short when we saw a man blocking our path. He wore a white turban and robes and had dark skin like my grandmother. My intuition told me he was Egyptian.

"He has a Millennium Item too," Yugi said. I followed his gaze to the large gold Key around his neck.

"Wh-who are you?" I said. I could not yet tell if he was a friend or foe.

The man stared at the Millennium Puzzle in shock, which transformed into determination as he ascended the stairs.

"No, stay back!" Yugi said.

I caught his fear and froze in place. I wanted to say something or _do_ something to protect him, but my body would not cooperate. Was this the person who stole the Millennium Eye from Pegasus?

The man pulled the Key off of his neck and held is straight at Yugi.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Yugi said as he took several steps back.

I watched helplessly as the man lifted the Key and held it to Yugi's forehead. Then he suddenly disappeared while Yugi's glazed over and his body grew still.

"Yugi!" I cried. My legs finally responded, and I rushed to his side. I grabbed onto his arm to see if I could sense him. He was in there all right, but he was not conscious. Heart pounding, I dropped my hand to the Millennium Puzzle. _"Yami?"_

_**"It's alright, Samia,"**_ Yami's voice said in my mind. _**"I am handling this."**_

I swallowed hard. _"Okay."_ I kept one hand on Yugi and the other on the Puzzle. I could not sense what was going on, but I was assured that I would be able to tell if either of them was in danger.

After far too long, I felt a sudden jolt that caused me to back away from Yugi. Then the man materialized, and Yugi blinked back to life. My heart pounded as I watched the stranger drop the Key to his side.

"I apologize for my rude intrusion into your mind," the man said. His calm demeanor made me relax only slightly. "I did not realize that you are the Chosen One and that the ancient predictions have finally been fulfilled at last. In my search for the thief, I have instead found the most worthy: one fated to unlock all of the magic. The theft of Pegasus' Millennium Eye was but the first sign that evil once again walks the earth, bringing madness in its wake. As in ancient times, chaos once again threatens to envelop an unsuspecting world, and only he who solved the Millennium Puzzle can save it."

My mind spun with all the new information. "Wait, if you didn't – Who – Who attacked Pegasus?"

The man focused his steely eyes on me, causing me to shiver. "I do not know."

"Samia didn't do it," Yugi said. "She's been with me the whole time."

The man narrowed his eyes slightly. "Perhaps I should make sure."

"No, leave her out of this!"

Fear had only started to wash over me when something else registered in my mind. This guy had entered Yugi's mind and had found out a lot about him – stuff even Yugi didn't know. What if he could do the same for me? "C-can you tell me who I am?"

The man's eyebrows flew up in surprise. "You do not know who you are?"

I swallowed hard and shook my head. "I – I can feel people's emotions and have some sort of connection to magic." My eyes flickered to the Millennium Puzzle, and the Egyptian's eyes followed. "Pegasus wanted me on his side. He was supposed to tell me something about these powers, but, well." I bit my lip and cast my gaze to the ground.

"I see," the man said tersely. "I have my suspicions, but I shall enter your mind if you will grant me permission."

"Samia, are you sure?" Yugi said, casting me a worried look.

"Y – yes." I pushed m nervousness to the back of my mind, for this was more important. "I need to know."

"Okay, if you're sure. Good luck."

I forced a smile and nodded. "Thanks." Then I turned back to the stranger. "Go ahead."

The Egyptian raised his key – the Millennium Key, I realized – and touched it to my forehead. Suddenly, I saw a flash of light and felt like I was whipped away by the wind. Several moments later, everything stopped spinning and I found myself on solid ground.

I turned in a circle to observe my surroundings. The strange man stood near me, doing the same. "Wh-what is this place?"

"This is your soul room," the man said. "It embodies who you are."

I then felt extremely self-conscious. Why had I let this guy in a place where deep secrets were probably held? I focused on examining everything so I would have a head start in case he asked any questions.

The room was fairly simple and looked a lot like my own. It was filled with colored pencils, paper, and photos of nature. Only one of the photos contained humans. A lump formed in my throat as I approached the picture of Bakura and me. We both appeared innocent and happy, oblivious to the true dangers of the world. Could we really go back to that after all that had happened?

"What is this doing here?"

A spun around as the man snapped me out of my thoughts. He was staring at a plastic replica of the Millennium Puzzle sitting on a night stand. "I – I think I have some sort of connection to the Puzzle." True, I seemed to be drawn to all the Millennium Items, but there was something special about this one. I had a hunch about the reason. "Wh-when you were in Yugi's mind, did you meet...?"

"The Spirit?" He smiled for the first time, though it was kind of creepy. "Yes, and he made me promise not to harm you."

I widened my eyes. "What? Really?"

"You can communicate with him, can you not?"

"Well, only when I touch the Puzzle."

"I see." He turned away, and his gaze landed on a door bolted shut and layered with gold chains. The same eye on all the Millennium Items was plastered in the center of the door. Something about it caused my heart to race in fear.

"Wh-what's in there?" I said.

"The answer to your questions, I presume." He raised his hand to reach for the door.

"Wait!" I cried. "I don't want to go in there." I had had enough. I had no idea why I wanted to know about my powers. This was all too scary. I needed to get home so I could return to my normal life.

The stranger locked eyes with me. He was silent for a minute, and then he said, "Very well. Let's return."

Before I could argue, I was swept up in the bright light again. My heart still pounded when I found myself in my own body. I focused my eyes and saw Yugi looking at me in concern. I gave him a weak smile of reassurance.

"I am sorry if I gave you a fright," the man said. "It may be too soon for you to know."

Now my fear of not knowing my identity took over. "Can you tell me nothing?" I implored him with my emotions. I only needed once piece of information...

"Is she connected to what's been happening?" Yugi said.

"In a way," said the man. He fixed his gaze on me. "You are the empath, and I advise you to stick close to this young man. You have much you can teach each other." Then, just like that, he turned around and started to descend the stairs.

I felt dizzy, so I held onto Yugi's arm for support. Thankfully, he did not seem to mind. Empath... What the heck did that mean? I was afraid to know more but afraid to face the unknown. _I_ really _need to get home now._

"Hold on!" Yugi called. "Tell us more!"

The man stopped and looked back at us. "Take great care. Be on your guard. Whoever the thief is who stole Pegasus' Millennium Item, he will also come seeking yours."

"Wow, that's almost too scary to think about," Yugi said. "If a guy like you can't find him, how do you expect me to?" His eyes widened when he realized the man was getting further way. "Wait, don't go yet! I've got a lot more questions! Like, who are you?"

I shielded my eyes from a bright light at the end of the stairs.

"My name is Shadi," the man said, his voice seeming to echo from the light, "and I am certain that we will meet again another day. But until then, stay true to your destiny – both of you. Remember, the fate of the world rests on your shoulders."

Then there was silence.

I shivered and hugged myself. "That was quite ominous," I said.

"I know," Yugi said. He appeared to be thinking deeply about something. Finally, he turned to look at me, locking eyes with me. "I know he was talking to both of us, but you don't have to do anything you don't want to do. You've already had one big adventure. I understand if you don't want to get involved further."

I felt a flicker of surprise. A first I thought he might be doubting my abilities, but then I recognized his kindness and smiled. "Thanks, Yugi. I – I don't want to get involved with anything regarding magic right now, but I would love if we could still be friends after this." I bit my lip, suddenly unsure of myself.

I relaxed when Yugi smiled warmly at me. "Of course we can still be friends, Samia! I would love that too. And I'm sure the others agree." He paused when something seemed to occur to him. "We better go catch up to them so they don't worry!"

I smiled and nodded, and the two of us jogged down the stairs. It was true that this adventure had almost been more than I could handle, but I had grown a lot in the process and knew even more about myself.

And I would never be able to put a price on the new friendships I had formed. I may not have known the future, but I did know I would hold onto something this value at all cost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be two or three more chapters, and then I will start the second season. I will cover most of what happens in all the episodes. Since Samia can't be in two places at once, obviously at least some critical duels/scenes will be missed. It should be a fun season to write, and I hope you enjoy reading it. :)


	13. Chapter 12

Yugi and I finally reached the balcony where our friends waited for us. I was relieved to see Bakura kneeling over Mokuba, who had finally regained consciousness.

"How are you doing, Mokuba?" Yugi asked in a gentle tone. "Are you feeling up to getting off this island?"

"Not without Seto," Mokuba said. "Where's my big brother?"

"He's safe," I said. "I can feel it. He has to be around here somewhere."

Joey crossed his arms and frowned. "How do we know he didn't do more to him than steal his soul?"

"He's kept his word so far, hasn't he?" I could not explain the reason, but I felt we could believe in Pegasus just this once.

"Yugi, Joey, Samia."

We all turned around to see Croquet standing behind us, his expression and emotions unreadable.

"Croquet?" Yugi said.

"Due to his illness, Mr. Pegasus will be unable to attend," said Croquet.

"If you ask me, it's just a lame excuse to avoid paying off on the prizes," Joey said.

"All prizes are still to be awarded," Croquet said, seeming offended that anyone would offer such a suggestion. "Yugi already received his agreed upon award of three freed souls, but..." He stepped closer to Yugi and then loomed over him. "In addition, there's this." He held out an ornate box with a duel monsters card displaying a beautiful woman with wings inside.

"What is it?"

"It's a card called 'the Ties of Friendship.' It's the only one of its kind, hand painted by Pegasus himself. I was instructed to deliver it personally to Yugi Muto. You are now officially King of Games."

Yugi took the card and looked it over. The name of the card caught my interest. Did Pegasus decide to give it to Yugi because he was admitting that friendship was a powerful force after all? And if Pegasus already had the card but had never released it to the public, did he believe in friendship at one point? Once again, I had the sense that there was more to Pegasus than the evil I had seen from him. Something deep inside me longed to latch onto the hints of goodness, but I quickly shut it down. It would do no good. My mother had warned me against such desires.

Croquet retrieved a sealed envelope from his inside coat pocket. "This contains a check for the prize money won by Yugi in his duel with Joey Wheeler."

"It's all yours, Joey," Yugi said, smiling at his friend. "Just like I promised."

Joey smiled and nodded as he accepted the envelope from Croquet. "You're the best, Yug."

"Three million dollars, Joey!" Tea said.

"For your sister's operation," said Tristan.

"Congratulations," I said. It looked like everyone received a happy ending after all.

"Yeah," Joey said. His emotions of happiness and gratitude were almost overwhelming but they were a welcome break from everything else I had absorbed recently. "We've been apart for so long, but now I can save her from going blind."

"That's great, Joey," Yugi said.

"Yeah, you bet it is."

"And now for your prize, Miss Samia."

I looked at him in surprise. Then I remembered the request I had made of Pegasus during his duel with Yugi. "Really? You'll tell me something about my powers?"

Bakura stood beside me and brushed against my shoulder. I nodded at him. He wanted to encourage me to seek information but also be cautious.

"Mr. Pegasus left a message for me to relay to you as promised," Croquet said. "You were born an empath, an ability that had been passed along the female line of your family for thousands of years. In ancient Egypt, your ancestors born with the gift assisted and served pharaohs. This purpose has not been lost. Even now, the empath waits for the return of the great pharaoh."

This explanation struck a cord with me. I sucked in a sharp breath and placed my hands on my head when I felt pain from somewhere. It felt like I was trying to remember something from long ago. I had tried to suppress my memories from my visit to Egypt, but it semed my heart still knew what I had learned.

Bakura placed his hands on me and rubbed my back. "Are you okay?"

I nodded without speaking.

Yugi looked from me to Croquet. "Does this have anything to do with the Millennium items? They're from ancient Egypt, aren't they?"

"I am afraid I have no more information to give you," Croquet said. "Now I must ask all of you to leave." He turned and walked away.

Joey crossed his arms and frowned. "Pharaohs? How do you know he's telling the truth, Samia?"

"H-he is," I said, my voice weak and raspy. "I can tell."

Tristan shrugged. "Good enough for me."

"I'm sure you'll find more if you keep looking," Tea said, giving me an encouraging smile.

I nodded, but I was not sure if I _wanted_ to know more. I had a lot to consider once I returned home to Domino City.

"Let's go outside," Bakura said. He bent down and helped Mokuba to his feet. "We can look for your brother there."

"Okay," Mokuba mumbled.

Anxiety shot out of him, so I stood on his other side as we made our way out of the castle. I wondered if I could use my senses to find Kaiba. Then again, I felt too worn to do much more than offer Mokuba a bit of comfort.

The sun was already beginning to set by the time we reached the courtyard. Mokuba called out for his brother while the rest of us stood by and waited. I was not sure what we could do short of searching the entire castle. Why hadn't Croquet brought him to us if he was so willing to offer the other prizes?

Then the tall doors that served as the entrance to the castle opened, revealing Seto Kaiba, briefcase in hand and a rare smile on his face.

"It's him!" Mokuba said in joy. He ran to him and embraced him.

"It's alright," Kaiba said as he gently held him.

"Come on," Joey said, "let's not get all mushy and gooey, you know? I can't take it."

Despite his words, I could tell he was as touched as me, and that fact warmed my heart even more. "I told you he wasn't all that bad," I said quietly so only Joey could hear.

"Yeah, no one's that coldhearted." He looked at me with a smile, and I smiled back at him.

"Thank you, Yugi," Kaiba said. "Thank you for saving my brother Mokuba's soul. He means everything to me."

"How could I do anything else?" Yugi said.

"And I am grateful, but because of our circumstances, our last duel was not really conclusive."

"Yes, you're right."

"One day we will meet in the arena again to decide which of us is truly the better duelist, and one of us will walk away with pride."

Yugi smiled and nodded.

"Come on, Mokuba, let's go. My copter is waiting." The brothers turned and walked away.

"Alright!" Mokuba exclaimed. "We're going home!"

The rest of us exchanged smiles and nods. It was good to have a happy ending. Suddenly, the peace was interrupted by a ripple of urgency coming from Joey.

"I just thought of something," he said. "All the boats have left, so how are we supposed to get off this island?"

Tristan let out a cry of alarm.

"We've got to hitch a ride!" Joey continued. "Come on!" He dashed towards the doors.

"Wait for us, Kaiba!" Tristan called as he ran with his friend.

"And us too!" Yugi exclaimed, and he and Tea started running as well.

I normally would have been as worried as them, but somehow I knew that they would catch Kaiba and he would give us a ride. There was nothing to fear right now. Bakura seemed to be preoccupied with something going on inside his own head, which _did_ have me concerned. "Are you alright?" I asked gently.

Bakura snapped his head up and gave me a bright smile. "I'm fine. We better go with the others!"

Something still did not feel right, but the distant look in his eyes was gone, so I nodded. "Yeah." As we raced for the exit, I assured myself that my best friend was only exhausted from our long adventure. Soon we would be home and everything could go back to normal. We could forget all about magic, spirits, and ancient Egypt.

\---

I fell asleep almost immediately upon entering Kaiba's helicopter. I had no idea how many hours it took to fly back to Japan, but it was still dark by the time the helicopter landed. Kaiba dropped us off at Yugi's house – a building that doubled as a game shop. He said we should all be smart enough to find our way to our individual houses. I thank him before letting out a large yawn.

"Thanks for everything, guys," Bakura said, looking around d t the others gathered outside the front door. "I'll take Samia home now."

"It was nice meeting you," Tea said to me with a smile.

"Despite the circumstances," Tristan added.

Joey gave me a thumbs up. "You can hang with us anytime."

I smiled at each of them. "Thank you." I may not have gotten to know any of them incredibly well, but I was pleased that they considered me a friend.

"Hey, uh, can I talk to you for a minute before you leave?" Yugi said, shifting nervously.

I was too tired to figure out what was bothering him, so I simply nodded. I left Bakura's side to enter the house with Yugi. He flipped the lights on, and I could see the board and card games lining the walls. Then I focused on Yugi and willed myself to stay awake. "What do you want to talk about?"

Yugi rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled lightly. "Well, it's not really _me_ who wants to talk."

And then, before I could say anything, the Millennium Puzzle glowed and Yugi switched places with Yami. He gazed at me intensely, his emotions unreadable while my own were all over the place. At least I was in no danger of falling asleep now.

"Samia," he said, "you made it home safely."

I smiled weakly. "Y-yeah." What was I so nervous about?

"What will you do now?"

I opened my mouth to respond but then closed it again. I could not tell which way he wanted me to answer, and I knew it did not matter. "I – I just want to go back to my normal life." Maybe I didn't want everything exactly as it was, but I wanted – no, _had_ to – stay away from this magic stuff.

Yami nodded. "I do not know what the future holds for me, but I do not wish to get in your way. I will stay back and let you live your life. But I do hope you will continue to be a friend to Yugi and the others. You are good for each other."

"O-of course. I think so too."

"If you ever do need me, I'll be there to help."

His eyes locked with mine, and his intense gaze sent a shiver down my spine. A part of me wanted to take it back. I wanted to stay with him. I could not ignore that I felt pulled to him. There was some connection between him, the Millennium Puzzle, and my powers.

And yet, that was precisely why I needed to stay away from him. I knew he had good intentions, but he was dangerous. He was like a powerful lion – a friendly lion but one that could never be tamed. I had heard stories of lion tamers who met death with their head in their lion's mouth because the lion followed its nature. I feared meeting a similar fate.

I swallowed, but my throat still felt dry. "Thank you. For everything."

Yami nodded again. "And thank _you_. Now run and get some sleep. You've had a long day."

"Right. Goodbye, Yami." I had a strong urge to wrap my arms around him and hug him one last time, but I feared I would change my mind if I did. So instead I turned and bolted out of the building.

Tristan, Joey, and Tea were nowhere to be soon, but Bakura stood patiently waiting for me. He smiled upon seeing me. "Hey, Samia," he said, "are you ready to-"

I grabbed his wrist and pulled him down the street. My heart pounded in my ears, and all I could think about was how I needed to get away from there. "We need to get home."

"Whoa, slow down. What are you running from? The danger is passed."

I slowed down and let go of his wrist but the agitation remained. "Sorry." I looked straight ahead as we walked side-by-side.

"Are you alright, Samia? You haven't been traumatized, have you?"

I could not ignore his concern, so I glanced at him and forced a smile. "I just need a good rest. I'll be fine. Things will get back to normal soon. You'll see."

"Alright. If you say so." He was not convinced, but he did not argue.

Tomorrow life would get back on track. Tomorrow everything would be better. I repeated these phrases over and over to ignore the voice in the back of my head that would not shut up. _Do you really think you can forget?_

***

"You really need to have more confidence in yourself, Samia. You look beautiful!"

I examined myself in the full length mirror in my bathroom. Tea stood beside me, beaming with pride at her work. I was still me, but I looked... different. It looked like I actually cared about my appearance. My mom had insisted such concerns were only vanity, but my new girl friend was not vain, so I had asked her for her opinion.

"Meow?"

I glanced at the floor to see Sophie, my young black cat, enter the room, looking around curiously. I smiled and bent down to stroke her back. I did not dare hold her in case her fur got stuck on my pink uniform. "You like it girl?"

"She does," Tea said confidently. "And all the boys will too." She winked.

I blushed and looked away. "That has nothing to do with this." I simply felt like I needed a change. I had grown over the past several days, and I wanted my appearance to reflect that.

I had not seen any of the boys since we had returned home two nights prior. I had been so exhausted when I got to my house that I collapsed on my bed without even greeting my siblings. I wanted to sleep in, but my brothers noticed my arrival and barged into my room.

"Samia! You're back!" Kenji had loudly exclaimed.

I rolled over on my bed and groaned. "What?"

"Why didn't you tell us you got back?" Raiden said in a much quieter tone.

My head felt groggy, making it hard to think. "I was tired." Why couldn't they just leave me alone? I sat up and winced at the sudden headache.

"Samia! I got water!"

I widened my eyes in surprise when Sakiko scurried into the room carrying a glass of water. I took it from her and smiled gratefully. "Thanks." At least someone was being considerate this morning.

"I guess we got ahead of ourselves," Kenji said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"So, what happened?" Raiden asked. "I heard your classmate Yugi Muto won the tournament, but now Pegasus is ill."

"But Mokuba is back!" Sakiko exclaimed. She threw her arms around my beck, nearly causing me to spill my water. "Thank you, Samia!"

"I, uh..." My sister's warm emotions broke through my sleepiness and my resistance. I set my water on my night stand so I could wrap my arms around her. "You're welcome."

"She couldn't have done anything," Kenji said. "She's not a duelist."

"It was Yugi who did it," I said. Sakiko pulled away and looked at me with big eyes. "Pegasus was trying to take over Kaiba Corp by defeating Yugi. Mokuba overheard the plan, so he was kidnapped to keep him quiet. But Yugi beat Pegasus, and now everyone is safe." I smiled. That was the best way to explain it. Everything was good now.

Raiden was the only one who was uneasy. "Are you sure nothing else happened?" He stared at me with a frown, his arms crossed.

I looked at him in surprise. His emotions confused me and were difficult to pick apart this early in the morning. I did have the feeling he knew more than he let on. I suddenly remembered how close he had been to grandma as well. Sometimes they would talk privately, growing quiet when I neared.

"O-of course nothing else happened," I said. "I ran into Yugi and his friends on the island, and we all got to know each other. That's it."

Raiden eyed me skeptically, but Kenji smiled and said, "That's great! You needed more friends. I'm happy for you." He glanced at his older brother. "Let's let her rest today. We can interrogate her later."

I let out a breath of relief when Raiden nodded and led the way out of my room. Kenji ruffled my hair and Sakiko gave me a wave as they departed. I fell back on my bed. Finally, I was alone. Now I could take time to process everything that had occurred.

I smiled when Sophie entered my room and hopped on the bed. My brothers had bought her for me at my insistence two years prior. As a kitten, she was spunky and adventurous. Everything I wanted to be. She had mellowed out now and simply enjoyed my company. She stayed with me as I roamed my house, reflecting on my recent adventure.

It did not take long for me to realize I had to embrace the good and reject the bad. I would welcome my new friends, of course, and looking in the mirror, I knew I wanted to welcome the new me as well. The first thing I did was set off to buy the contacts Raiden had ordered for me but which I had never picked up. Then I called Tea and requested her assistance.

Tea sounded very enthusiastic over the phone, but I was still nervous. What if something had changed now that we were not on Duelist Kingdom? I know I said I wanted tings to go back to the way they were, but I did not want to have to lose my new friends in the process.

It was a little awkward for me at first, but I soon became comfortable in Tea's presence. She took me to the Domino Mall, where I picked out a couple of new outfits. I had to wear my school uniform during the week, but it would be nice to wear something a bit better on the weekends. Then we returned to my house where Tea helped me with my hair.

It was my hair I was stuck on as I stared at myself Monday morning before school. Tea ad insisted upon coming over to make sure I was ready for my public appearance, whatever that meant. I had always quickly brushed my hair and left it at that, but my friend taught me how to tame my waves and keep them out of my eyes. My hair now looked smooth and silky, almost pretty, just like my mom's had been. And there were no bulky glasses to draw attention.

Unwanted tears filled my eyes, and I tried to blink them away. "Thank you, Tea. This is great."

"No problem! What did your siblings think?"

"They approve." And they were pleased to see I had made a female friend. Hopefully this meant they forgave me for running off on them for several days.

Tea placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled at me. "Then let's get to school before we're late!"

I nodded. We were off.

It was weird returning to school. I knew I had only been gone a few days, but it seemed like years. How could so much have happened so quickly? I tried not to think about it as we entered our classroom. Bakura, Yugi, Joey, and Tristan were already sitting together and chatting.

"Hey, guys!" Tea said cheerfully. We stopped in front of them, and their eyes fell on me. "What do you think?"

I smiled slightly, feeling incredibly self-conscious. Their emotions gave me no clue as to what they were thinking. "Is it too much?"

"Not at all!" Yugi said. "I think you look very nice."

Bakura nodded. "I like it. I mean, you were always pretty, but now..." He trailed off awkwardly.

Joey nudged him in the side and smirked. "He means you were pretty before but you're beautiful now that you're not trying to hide your face!"

I knew he meant nothing by it, but I still blushed. "Thanks."

"Good work, Tea," Tristan said, grinning.

Tea smiled. "It was all her idea. Every girl needs a nice makeover once in awhile."

We took our seats, and I focused on finding my notebook for my first class. I noticed someone watching me, and I lifted my head to meet Bakura's gaze. "What?" I had always been great at reading him, but now I could not figure out his jumbled feelings.

"Nothing," he said quickly, turning his attention straight ahead.

I figured he would tell me if something were bothering him. We were finally home. We now had all the time we wanted to relax and enjoy the company of our friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for staying with me so far, guys. For those wondering, Samia will duel at least once in this story. I'll see how that goes and then decide if there will be more. There are two chapters left in season 1.


	14. Chapter 13

I found it difficult to return to normal life despite my best attempts. The subjects taught at school appeared too boring following the exciting events of the past couple of days. I hoped it would become easier to pay attention as the days passed. I normally enjoyed learning, so perhaps I just needed time to decompress.

I shot up from my seat as soon as we were free to leave. "Do you want to head over to my house or yours?" I asked Bakura like I did most days. The sooner we could get back to our normal routine the better.

Bakura did not meet my eyes as he stood up. "Actually, I think I need some time alone with my family today. After everything that happened, you know..." He finally offered me an awkward smile.

I blinked. "Oh. Okay. That's fine."

"I'll see you tomorrow then."

My eyes followed him as he left the room. Over the years I had known him, he had become great at concealing his emotions from me, which was no small feat. I told myself that, if he was mad at me or something, I would sense _something_. As it was, I decided to give him some space. Duelist Kingdom must have been harder on him since he had been more of an observer and victim than actor.

"Samia, if you want, you can come hang out with us at my grandpa's shop," Yugi said from his desk where he, Tea, Tristan, and Joey were gathered.

I hesitated. "I don't know..."

Before I could finish, Joey slung an arm over my shoulder, causing me to flinch. "Come on, what are you afraid of?" he said, giving me a wink. "We don't bite."

"Yugi's place is fun," Tea added.

I allowed a small smile to form on my face. I sensed their sincerity, and it was greatly appreciated. "Okay. Thanks, Yugi."I quickly grabbed my belongings and then followed my new friends out the door.

The Kame Game Shop was much more inviting in the daytime than it was at night. We were greeted enthusiastically by Yugi's grandpa, who had thankfully made a full recovery after having his soul sucked out of his body from Pegasus. I admired the various board and card games that lined the walls in the store while Joey attempted to improve his Duel Monsters card collection.

I did not realize it had started raining until the doors of the shop slammed open, blowing drops of water in my direction. The distress of the individual struck me first, and I spun around to face a soaking wet Mokuba Kaiba.

"What's wrong?" I exclaimed, his terror sending my heart racing.

"Please, please help me," Mokuba whimpered as he leaned against the door for support.

"Mokuba," Yugi said in shock.

I rushed to the kid's side and helped support him on his feet. Mr. Motou nodded at me, so I helped him inside the house attached to the store. What could be wrong now? Both of the Kaiba brothers had just been rescued. They last thing any of us needed was more trouble.

"Give him this," Mr. Motou said, handing his grandson a large blanket. "I'll make him some tea to warm him up."

I led Mokuba to a simple brown couch and sat him in the middle next to me. Yugi set the blanket around him and took the seat on his other side. Tea sat on a small couch while Joey and Tristan looked on in worry. Once Mr. Motou set tea in front of him, Mokuba began his story.

"Yesterday, my brother fired the Big Five executives who tried to take over Kaiba Corp with Pegasus," he said. "Today Seto wanted to test out the virtual world game he's been developing, so he got into the virtual pod that transports your mind into an adventure game. But now the Big Five have changed the game and trapped Seto inside the virtual world! The only way he can get out is to win the game."

"That's terrible," I said, rubbing Mokuba's back to convey my sympathy. "How do you know about this?"

"The Big Five told me, and then I ran away."

"At least you got away so you can get help."

Tears filled Mokuba's eyes. "I need to get Seto back."

"So you're saying the only way Kaiba can escape is by winning the game?" Yugi said.

"But if those creeps reprogrammed the entire adventure just to keep Kaiba trapped there, how is that possible?" said Tea.

Mokuba stared gloomily into his mug of tea. "I don't know, but I thought – I thought you could help."

"Calm down, Mokuba," said Mr. Motou, "we will, we will. Now tell us some more about this virtual pod your brother was designing."

"I don't know much," Mokuba said. "I was pretty young when he started it. I remember him spending endless hours working on the prototypes, trying to make it perfect."

"Prototypes?" Joey said. "So there are other ones?"

"Mhm hm. In his lab. It was my brother's dream to create the world's ultimate adventure land, but those corporate jerks turned it into a nightmare."

Joey crossed his arms and frowned. "Lousy suits. We'll show them like we did Pegasus."

"Huh?" Mokuba and Tea said at the same time.

I merely smiled. Despite Joey's tough appearance, I knew he was moved by the bond between Mokuba and Seto. Plus, he was driven to do the right thing no matter who was in trouble.

"That's right!" Yugi said enthusiastically, leaping to his feet. "We'll use those pod prototypes, go to that virtual world, and rescue Kaiba!"

"Thanks, guys," Mokuba said.

I nodded. "Of course."

The rest of us stood up and headed for the front door. Mr. Motou handed us umbrellas on our way out, and Yugi promised him we would all be back soon. I hoped he was right.

Mokuba led us to his brother's secret laboratory. We had to sneak inside since no one was technically supposed to be there. Eventually we made it inside and ditched our umbrellas. We soon found ourselves in a room with three human sized pods attached to a large machine that reached the ceiling.

"There they are," Mokuba said, turning on the lights.

"Those are the prototypes?" Joey said in awe. "Wow."

"Now let's see here," Mokuba said as he ran over to the control panel. "Yep, just like the model my brother's in."

"Only three pods," Joey said. "I guess two people are staying here. I say Tristan for sure."

Tristan grabbed Joey in a chokehold and raised his fist. "And I say you."

"I know I'm going," Mokuba said.

"Mokuba," Joey said, gasping after Tristan finally releasing him. "You're the one who knows how to work these things. You should stay here."

"Yeah, but I also know the most about the virtual adventure land we're going into," Mokuba said. Determination and resilience radiated off of him."

"Good point," Tristan said.

"But it's dangerous," I said. "If you lose, you won't be able to come up." I would not want my little sister to do something like this.

"I don't care," Mokuba said. "I have to say my brother!"

His emotions stirred memories from Duelist Kingdom in me. It made me uncomfortable, but I understood. I nodded. "Alright. Good luck."

"So then get in," Joey said. He slapped Tristan on the chest. "Take care of my gorgeous bod, pal." In resignation, Tristan made his way over to the control panel.

"You guys have better be careful," Tea said as Yugi, Joey, and Mokuba each climbed into a pod. I stood beside her and bit my lip in worry.

"We'll be fine, Tea," Joey said.

"Yeah, don't you guys worry about a thing," said Yugi. "We'll have Kaiba rescued in no time."

"Tristan, let her rip."

Tristan examined the control panel for a moment before pushing a button that closed clear lids over the pods. "Virtual upload, now." He pulled a lever, and bright lights shined forth from the pods for several seconds.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I felt it happen. Tristan stood between Tea and me by the time my heart decided it could resume a normal speed. "Th-they're gone," I said. I swallowed hard.

"Then it worked," Tristan said.

I gazed at Yugi's lifeless body. It felt so weird to not feel anything at all. How was I supposed to know they were fine? Frustrated, I turned away and walked over to a wall to lean against it.

"Samia?" Tea said. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, what's on your mind?" Tristan said.

There was no way to explain the torrent of emotions funneling through me, especially when I did not understand half of them myself, so I chose the simplest answer. "We just got back from being in danger, and now something like this has happened again. What if we never have peace again?"

"Well, this is really just the aftermath of Duelist Kingdom," Tristan said. "The Big Five are grasping at straws since Pegasus failed them."

Tea smiled and nodded. "He's right. Once Yugi and the others win this game, things will go back to normal for sure!"

I smiled weakly. "Sure." I wanted to believe them. I _had_ to believe them. "I guess the hardest part is waiting." I closed my eyes and focused on breathing in order to relax.

Eventually, I grew tired of this position and made my way over to the control panel where Tristan and Tea were both leaning. Neither of them said anything as I found a spot to sit on top of the panel. I looked over the pods, hoping to feel some sort of emotion so that I knew my friends were safe.

It was Tea who finally broke the silence: "They've been gone a long time. I hope they're okay."

"Don't you worry," said Tristan. "I once saw Joey play a video game for three days straight without blinking or nothing."

"Sounds like him," I muttered.

Tea shrugged. "Figures."

The atmosphere drifted towards silence again until Tristan brightened and said, "Hey, I know what will make all this waiting around go by faster: a game. And it's called 'Guess My Facial Hair.' Who wants to go first?"

I looked at him incredulously. What the heck was he talking about?

"Uh, I think I'll pass," Tea said in disgust.

"Aw, come on," said Tristan, "don't tell me you haven't noticed my fine beard growing in. I've got, like, eight whiskers."

I squinted my eyes and leaned in close to examine his chin. "I don't see anything."

"Don't humor him," Tea said.

"It's hard to see them just yet," said Tristan. "Come on and take a feel."

I backed up and shook my head.

While I was simply bewildered, Tea was absolutely irritated. "Tristan, please!" she said, glaring at the ground. "Why don't you just go and take a nap in the corner so Samia and I can have some girl time?"

Tristan blinked. "Girl time?"

I had only started to relax when my senses picked up on something. Then I heard the muffled voices of several men. I glanced at my friends and nodded. We carefully made our way over to the door and slid it upon just a crack. Five men in suits were making their way down the dark hallway. Thankfully, they did not notice us, for they had ill intentions.

"Looks to me like we've got some company headed our way," Tristan said. "Quick, let's lock the door and set up some kind of barricade to hold them off."

"Good idea," Tea said.

So that's exactly what we did. The only thing movable in the room was the large control panel counter, so we worked together to move it in front of the door. Then we pushed against the barricade to keep it in place. I flinched when I felt pressure from the other side. The Big Five were trying to get in!

"We're not letting you in here, man!" Tristan shouted at them.

I focused all of my energy on keeping the door shut. I did not have enough strength to think or talk right now, and thankfully my friends felt the same way. Minutes felt like hours as we diligently kept to our task. We just had to hold on long enough for Yugi, Joey, and Mokuba to make it back safely.

Finally, one of the executives managed to get a hand through the door. I stood there terrified while Tristan and Tea propped another table against the door, pushing it shut again. I snapped to it and got back to leaning against the barricade. This was no time for fear!

Suddenly, a burst of energy shot through me. I forgot all about my job as I spun on my heels and stared at Yugi's pod. His body looked exactly the same, but I knew something had changed within the game. _He_ had taken over. Almost like my body had an agenda of its own, I strode towards the pod.

"Samia?" Tristan said in confusion. "What are you doing?"

"Is something wrong with Yugi?" asked Tea.

I ignored them and stopped in front of the pod. I could feel energy radiating off it like waves. Why had I not felt it before? Shadi had told me to stay close to Yugi, but was my connection not with him at all? My eyes fell to the Millennium Puzzle. It pulled me to seek answers, to seek the truth, no matter the cost.

In a burst of inspiration, a placed my hands on the clear pod case and focused. I had no idea what I was doing, but I trusted my instincts. I tried to pass strength, courage, and hope through the pod to Yugi – to both of them – unsure how in the world that was even possible. But it seemed to have worked, for I sensed a change. I stepped back and nodded in approval.

I turned around to see my friends gaping at me. Tristan was the first to speak: "Wh-what are you?"

Tea shot him a glare and elbowed him in the side. "He means, what did you just do? What is your connection to Yugi?"

I bit my lip and glanced at the ground, my confidence wavering. They were both still pushing back the barricade. I thought I should help, but my feet would not move. Finally, I looked back at them and gave them a feeble shrug. "Like Pegasus said, I'm an empath. For some reason, my powers are stronger and more focused with Yugi. I – I think it's the Puzzle. I'm drawn to it like he is but in a different way."

The two teenagers exchanged blank looks. "I'm afraid I'm not following you," Tristan said.

"I don't really understand it myself. It kind of frightens me, to be honest."

"I'm sure there's someone who can give you answers," Tea said.

I shook my head. "I don't need answers." I walked back to them and started to push against the door again. "Unless Yugi's in danger and I can help, I'd rather not know."

I sensed that they wanted to say more, but neither of them spoke further. I was all too happy to focus on the job at hand. If those goons broke through the door, even my powers would be of no use.

I struggled to not be pushed back by the continuous force on the other side of the door. How strong were these guys? It became hard to keep it up, so slowly the barricade moved back. Tristan found a rod and stood in front of the door while Tea and I hovered near the pods. I could no longer tell what was going on inside the virtual world.

"We're in!" one of the men shouted as the door opened.

"Oh no!" Tea cried.

Tristan turned his pole and used it to push the men back. "Bring it on!"

My fear evaporated when I felt something behind me. Turning, I saw Yugi, Joey, and Mokuba climb out of their pods. My heart soared in elation. They were safe!

"What?" the executive said in shock.

Tristan turned his head, and his face lit up. "Hey, Joey!"

"Yugi! Joey!" Tea said. "You're all back!"

"So is Kaiba," Yugi said as they walked towards us. "He's probably getting out of his pod right now."

"No!" one of the men exclaimed in horror. "He can't be!"

"And without you guys to guard your bosses, I say he's about to kick some butt!" Mokuba said.

"Hey, he's right!" The men turned and fled from the room. "We gotta get back!"

"We did it!" Tea said happily.

"Bunch of wimps," said Tristan.

"I'm glad you're all alright," I said. Yugi caught my eye, and I frowned. It looked like he wanted to say something, but he looked away.

All of us became alert when we heard a loud yawn. Then someone stepped into the room from a side door.

"It's Mai!" Mokuba exclaimed.

"She was here all along," Joey said.

"In the flesh," Mai said, stretching before stopping in front of us. I surmised that the others had run into her in the virtual game. I definitely would have to hear the full story later. "Is everything cool?"

"Sure looks that way," Yugi said.

"Because of you," Mokuba said. "All of you. So thanks."

I smiled and ruffled his hair. "Of course. Now get back to your brother."

Joey nodded. "I bet he can't wait to see you."

Mokuba smiled. "Okay. Thanks again, you guys! Bye!"

"Bye Mokuba!" we all said.

"Yeah, bye," said Joey. "Now where's the john? I had, like, seven sodas before we got into those pods."

I laughed and shook my head. Good old Joey. I glanced at Yugi, and he smiled at me. Maybe _now_ things could finally get back to normal. One could only hope.

Somehow it felt awkward to describe my newest adventure to Bakura, so I stuck with the barest of details. He responded politely and seemed interested in what I was saying. Yet, at the end of the day, he claimed he was too busy to hang out again. When it happened for the third day in a row, I started to suspect that something was very wrong. But we had always told each other everything, and I hated confrontation. How was I supposed to get to the bottom of this?

"Samia, are you headed home?"

I looked to the side to see that Yugi had fallen in step with me as I headed out of the school building. He seemed curious and mildly concerned about me. "Yeah, I guess so. You're not hanging out with his friends."

Yugi shook his head. "Not today. If you're not busy, would you mind going somewhere with me? I would appreciate the company."

His offer surprised me, so I dug into his emotions. He was sincere as far as I could tell. He also seemed nervous about something. I realized the two of us had never had a chance to hang out alone together. For some reason, this made me uneasy. I immediately chided myself. I hung out with Bakura on my own all the time. What as the big deal? "Sure," I finally said. "Lead the way."

Yugi brightened at this. "Okay, let's go!"

I had to job in order to keep up with him. Wherever he wanted to go, he was quite excited about it. Neither of us spoke as we walked, which was just fine with me. I liked the fact that Yugi, like Bakura, did not feel the need to fill silence with useless noise.

We eventually left the confines of the city, and I found myself surrounded by trees and grass. Yugi brushed back bushes and branches as he moved forward. Finally, he led the way into a clearing. He finally stopped and turned around to face me with a smile. "So, what do you think?" he said.

This area was nothing like a traditional Japanese garden; it was even better. There was nothing artificial about it at all. Trees and bushes lined the edges. Flowers of all kinds speckled the field. Best of all, on the left hand side stood a small waterfall cascading over beautiful rocks. Squirrels and birds roamed freely, and I sensed the presence of foxes and rabbits nearby.

"It's amazing," I said honestly. "How did you know I love nature?"

Yugi smiled and shrugged. "Lucky guess. Come on." He started for the waterfall, and I followed.

Several large rocks were placed like chairs in front of the small stream. Yugi took one as his seat, and I sat to the left of him. For several long minutes, I let the peace and calm of nature wash over me, cleansing me from my recent experiences. For the first time since Duelist Kingdom, I felt free.

"I used to come here all the time before I had Joey and Tristan as friends," Yugi said. "It always made me feel better. It reminds me that I'm connected to nature and never alone. They're not huge lovers of nature themselves, so I haven't had a chance to come here recently."

I wondered if he had ever brought Tea here. Shaking off the unasked question, I chose to focus on something else. "How did you all become friends?"

"It was right after I solved the Millennium Puzzle. Joey and Tristan used to bully me, but I could tell they were good guys at heart. Then one day I defended them from a bigger bully. We've been inseparable ever since."

I looked at him in amazement. "That was very brave of you." I had never met anyone else who saw the good in those who behaved badly. My parents had taught me that this was a character flaw, that I would be taken advantage of, so I had always suppressed it. But if it had worked for Yugi, maybe there was something to befriending your enemies after all.

"I suppose it was. After I solved the Puzzle, I was determined to become stronger. I used to be shy and insecure, you know."

I widened my eyes in surprise. "Really? You? But you're not that way now!"

He smiled. "Thanks. Sometimes I still feel like I am. I know I'm different from others. Those differences shamed me into trying to be someone else. Once I finally started to be true to myself and take chances, that's when I was able to make friends and become truly happy."

I bit my lip. It sounded like he had been a lot like me. Lost in a world that ignored our needs. "Do you – do you think I could be strong too?"

"You're already strong, Samia! You just need to believe in yourself."

His smile disarmed me, and I found myself smiling back. "Thanks, Yugi. I'll try my best."

He nodded. "Good. And your friends are always here if you need us."

I thought of Bakura and my smiled faded. "Yeah..."

Concern crossed Yugi's face. "Is everything alright?"

I hesitated and then decided it was safe to confide in him. "It's Bakura. We used to be close before Duelist Kingdom, but now it seems like he's ignoring me."

"I'm sure that's not the case. He probably just has a lot to process."

I stared at the water. "I want to give him time, but how do I know if something is really bothering him? I don't want to ignore his needs." I hated that even my powers could not help me here.

Yugi fell silent. Then he said: "Do you think he would feel more comfortable if all of us hung out together?"

I glanced at him. Could Bakura be jealous of the time I was spending with my new friends? No, he was not the jealous type, but I could see how he might feel left out. "That might help, actually. At least I would know if the problem is with me or something else." I _hoped_ the problem was not with me.

Yugi smiled. "I'll think of something we can all do together."

"Thanks. I appreciate it." I felt just a bit lighter now that I had his support.

"We're all going through a lot of changes sight now. Everything will work out in the end."

I nodded. My grandmother used to say the same thing. My eyes flickered to the Millennium Puzzle. Not all changes were good. Thankfully, Yugi was content with just the two of us. I did not need any complications. I closed my eyes and let the wind pass through my hair. Now this was relaxing.

Friday began as a normal day. Classes had become easier to manage, and I grew confident I would be caught up soon. My anxiety only returned once school was through or the day and I had to face Bakura again. He started to respond to my inquiry as to his plans – probably some excuse for why he couldn't hang out – when Yugi sauntered over to us, his friends trailing behind.

"Hey, guys," he said, "why don't you come over to my place today?"

Joey walked up and slapped a hand on his shoulder. "Yeah, Yugi was just saying that Samia needs a Duel Monsters deck!"

I looked at Yugi in surprise. "What? But I don't duel!" When he said he would find something for us to do, this was _not_ what I had in mind.

Yugi rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled nervously. "I thought you might want to learn."

"It's fun!" Tea said brightly. "Even I have a deck."

"I've tried to teach her for years, but she's never been interested," Bakura said, frowning slightly.

"But you understand it now, don't you?" said Joey. "I saw the way you watched Yugi and me at Duelist Kingdom. It's something we can all do together."

Tristan nodded. "And with our luck, who knows when it might come in handy?"

I hesitated. I had to admit, I did feel a little helpless when I could not offer advice on Duelist Kingdom. It was just that I did not plan on anything like that happening again.

"I thought we could all help you build a deck and then individual teach you how to play," Yugi said. "If you're not interested after that, we can find something else to play. Are you in, Bakura?" He smiled at him in encouragement.

"Yes, this sounds like a good idea," said Bakura. He looked at me earnestly. "I still think it is a good idea for you to at least understand the basics of the game. Your brother works for Kaiba Corp, after all."

I realized this was my chance to reconnect with Bakura. This was something he had in common with my new friends, and it might help him fit in if we could all participate together. I took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll give it a try."

"Great." Bakura gave me a smile, and I actually felt that it was genuine. He appeared more at ease around the group than he ever had.

"Awesome!" said Joey. "Just listen to me, and I'll have you dueling like a pro in no time."

"You'll teach her how to fumble her way to victory by relying on luck," said Tristan.

Joey started to go off on Tristan while the rest of us laughed. Life had finally taken a turn for the better. For the first time in years, I felt hope for my future.


	15. Chapter 14

I spent the following week focused on learning the basics of Duel Monsters. I had chosen mostly light monsters with a defensive strategy mainly centered around my best monster, Wingweaver. Each of my friends spent one-on-one time with me to help me practice. I looked forward to hanging out with Bakura on Thursday. He talked to me more than before, but we still had not had a long conversation. I hoped to remedy that.

We walked to my house together and set up in my room. Bakura patiently gave me pointers before engaging in a duel with me, which he won, of course.

"So, how did I do?" I asked, smiling slightly. We sat cross legged on the floor facing each other.

"Not bad for a beginner, actually," Bakura said. "You managed to take a majority of my lifepoints, and you came up with some good spell and trap combinations. You will have to work on your overall strategy, which comes with time and experience."

I nodded. "I'll practice – not that I'm trying to become an expert in it or anything. It's just fun to play with friends."

Bakura gave me a small smile. "I agree. I'm glad we finally have a chance to play together."

His demeanor was pleasant enough, but I sensed something deeper down that I could no longer ignore. I shifted uncomfortably and stared at the floor. "Hey, Bakura, is there something bothering you?"

"No, why would there be?"

I sucked in a sharp breath. "You know you can't hide anything from me. What's gone?" I lifted my head and gazed into his eyes. "Ever since Duelist Kingdom..." No, it was during the tournament as well. An awful thought crossed my mind. "Do you – do you not like Yugi and the others?"

Bakura's eyes widened. "No, that's not it at all!" His shock told me he spoke the truth. "It's just..." His eyes moved back and forth, searching. "Something's different between us. Can't you feel it too?"

I frowned. "No. Everything is how it's always been."

Bakura sighed. "You don't really believe that, do you?"

His piercing gaze made me uncomfortable, so I bit my lip and looked away. "I have more friends now, if that's what you mean. We don't mean to exclude you."

"You're not – really. When I say things have changed, I don't mean anything bad by it. A lot of it is good, actually. You've grown a lot since Duelist Kingdom; why wouldn't you have changed?" He hesitated for several seconds. "It's just that, before our adventure, it was just the two of us. We were both fine with that, but now I'm wondering if it wasn't enough. I – I couldn't protect you. _I'm_ the one who brought you there, after all. I'm the one who put you in danger."

My head shot up as a gasp escaped my lips. "It's not your fault, Bakura. I chose to go with you. And that Spirit was influencing you, wasn't he?"

He nodded. "I think so, and that's part of the problem. You told me the Ring was bad news, but I didn't listen. The Spirit is obviously ingenious enough to be able to hide from you while subtly manipulating me." He sighed and ran a hand through the end of his white hair. "I couldn't stop him. I couldn't do anything. But Yugi saved us – and you ended up helping him in return. Both of you are amazing. It's no wonder you've become friends so quickly."

I took a moment to let everything sink in. I felt like I was finally beginning to understand what had been bothering him. It would have been easy if he had simply been jealous, but how could I argue with him when he _wanted_ to see these changes in me? When part of me liked them too? I swallowed, but this did not soothe my parched throat. "The Spirit's gone now. Neither of us will be in danger anymore."

"You don't know that for sure. These are ancient, magical items we're talking about. We have no idea how they work or what they're capable of. I don't want to see you hurt."

Overcome with emotion for my friend, I crawled across the floor until I could sit next to him. I gently touched his arm, causing him to look into my eyes. "Then that's why we need to stay friends. I don't want you to get hurt either. I want to be able to protect you." I had never considered myself brave, but I now knew it would come to me if a friend was in danger.

Bakura smiled softly. "Thank you, Samia. That means a lot to me. I'm not saying we shouldn't be friends anymore. It just seems like something's shifted and we're going to naturally drift apart."

I shook my head vehemently. "I won't let that happen!"

Bakura still smiled, but his gaze was sad and bittersweet. "There might not be anything you can do. These things happen, Samia. We're not kids anymore. It's times like this where our relationship will have to either evolve or slowly simmer out."

His emotions led me to dismay, but what he said caused confusion, causing me to falter. "Evolve? What do you mean?"

He blushed and glanced down. "I, uh, that's..."

His emotions had shifted so much that I was stumped. I took a deep breath and focused on what he was feeling. It was both foreign and faintly familiar. I decided to let my intuition guide me. "Bakura?" I moved my hand down his arm and rested it on top of his hand.

His eyes snapped up to meet mine, and his heart picked up speed. "Samia?"

I swallowed. "I – I can feel your emotions. You don't have to say it. Maybe if I try-"

Bakura seemed to search for something in my face. He lifted his free hand as if to touch my cheek but then suddenly withdrew. "How do _you_ feel about _me_ , Samia?"

I jolted back, surprised. "You're my best friend. I care a lot about you and want to be with you."

Bakura smiled cryptically. "I don't think it's the same way that I want to be with you, and I'm afraid that you'll eventually catch my emotions and feel them as your own. I think it's great how empathetic you care, but it's important that you learn how to separate your own feelings from others'."

I frowned as I contemplated this idea. I could not deny that he spoke the truth. "So, where does that leave us?"

"It might be good for us to spend some time apart. That way you'll have a chance to reflect on how you're feeling. I don't mean we should never hang out, of course. Just not every day like we used to."

I nodded. It would have been worse if he had said this in the past, but now I had other friends I could be with. I supposed Bakura needed time alone to process his feelings as well. If this was what was best for him... "Okay. We can do that."

Bakura smiled, relief flooding his features. "Thank you for understanding. You know that if you ever really need me I'll be there, right?"

I smiled back at him. "And I'll be there for you."

Maybe we did need time apart to learn how to protect each other.

I continued to practice dueling all throughout the following week. It was Yugi's turn to help me on Friday, and I finally decided to invite him over to my house. My siblings immediately started pestering us, so I led him to the small study room on the second floor.

"This is nice," Yugi said, sweeping his eyes across the simple room that contained a desk and long table with chairs. His eyes rested a curtain that concealed part of the room. "What's in there?"

I hesitated. Something propelled me to tell him the truth even though I normally skirted these types of questions. My mother taught me to trust my intuition, so I silently made my way over to the curtain. I drew it back, revealing an ornate altar with the photos of three individuals on display. "My parents and grandparents."

Yugi nodded. He moved past me and lit incense for them to pay their respects. I appreciated the gesture. I should have known he would understand.

We stood next to each other for several minutes before Yugi spoke: "Why do you keep it hidden?"

"I-it's hard to look at," I said. I swallowed a lump in my throat. "I would rather forget. And seeing it reminds me how I can't open my grandma's box." At his quizzical look, I bent down and opened a drawer under the altar. I pulled out a wooden box that was about the width of my body. "She left this for me, but I can't figure it out." I held it out for him to look it. He was good at puzzles, so maybe he could see something I had missed.

Yugi grabbed the box and looked it over, examining every side in curiosity. "This looks like a Japanese puzzle box. You said your grandma was Egyptian, right?"

I nodded. "She never fully explained why she moved, but she made it clear that she was not running from Egypt. She loved Japan. She thought it was a great place for people like us to live."

Yugi smiled. "Japan is more compassionate and hospitable in many ways. "And clearly she liked games." He looked thoughtfully at the box. "It's very ornately made. It won't open until the puzzle is solved. There could be up to twelve steps to solve it. We could burn it, but then the contents inside would be toast."

I smiled slightly. "Yeah, exactly. Have you solved one of these before?"

"Once. I'm sure my grandpa has solved hundreds of them. Maybe one of these days we can take it over to him to see what he thinks."

I did not like the idea of showing the box to more people, but I was out of options. "I would like that."

Yugi smiled as he placed the box under the altar. "I bet she had something extraordinary to tell you. I wonder if it could have anything to do with your powers and the Millennium Puzzle."

I immediately stiffened, my smile fading. "I hope not. I want nothing more to do with Egypt." My friend had not brought the topic up since Duelist Kingdom, and I hoped he would drop it now.

"But it's part of who you are." Yugi seemed to be choosing his words carefully, cautious of my sudden change of mood. "Don't you want to know about your destiny?"

I bit my lip and glanced at the ground. "Not really." Part of me desperately wanted to know, but the other part was terrified of what the truth could mean.

Yugi saddened as he gazed at his Puzzle. "I kind of know what you mean. Yami wants to know his destiny and who he is, but I'm afraid that I'll lose him once he finds out." He lifted his head and forced a smile. "But that doesn't matter, does it? No one can be happy if they don't know who they are. I believe everyone is here for a purpose and we can only truly be happy once we fulfill it."

"You sound like my grandma," I whispered.

"She sounded like a wonderful woman." He placed a hand on my shoulder, and I looked up to meet his kind eyes.

"Thank you." His understanding touched me. He had not told me I was wrong and tried to change my mind. He did not put me down and say I could never do anything right. He believed in me. Just like Yami. Maybe separating them would be harder than I thought.

Yugi withdrew his hand and grinned. "Now how about we play Duel Monsters?"

I smiled tentatively in return. "You're on!"

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the new game shop with the other guys?" Bakura said as we approached my house one Monday after school. "I heard Joey was challenged by the owner's son."

I shook my head. "It's our day to play together, and I'm not going to miss it."

Bakura gave me a small smile. "If you're sure."

Upon entering the house, I was relieved to see that only Sophia the cat occupied the living room. We set up our game on the floor in between the couch and the TV. A half hour later, I had my first victory against one of my friends.

"Congratulations!" Bakura said with a smile. "That was a great duel."

I grinned back at him. "Thanks! It was actually pretty fun. Let's play again."

The slamming of the door caught my attention. I immediately recognized the energy in the room as my oldest brother, Raiden, back from work. Sophia got to her feet and meowed in greeting.

Raiden smiled and bent down to rub her back. "Hey, Sophia." His eyes fell to the cards on the floor. "Hey, you finally got Samia dueling? It's about time!"

Bakura chuckled lightly. "It was quite an accomplishment, but she's not bad."

I rolled my eyes, but a smile tugged on my lips. "Right." I was just glad that we were finally acting like normal.

"Now let's see what's on TV," Raiden said as he grabbed the remote and flopped onto the couch.

I frowned. "We were using this room first."

"Find somewhere else to play."

"We can take a break if you want," Bakura said.

I was about to respond when my brother's exclamation broke through my thoughts: "Isn't that your friend, Yugi?"

Startled, I looked up at the screen. Sure enough, Yugi was involved in some sort of game with a kid I recognized from our school. Except, this game was not Duel Monsters. I may have been unable to read emotions through the TV very well, but I could still pick up on verbal and physical cues. "He's playing against someone who doesn't like him very much."

"That's Duke Devlin," Bakura said. "He's the owner of that new game shop. It's look like they're playing the game he invented. I believe it's called Dungeon Dice Monsters."

"But I thought it was Joey who was challenged."

"Look there." Bakura pointed on the screen somewhere behind Yugi and Duke. "Isn't that Joey in a dog suit?"

My eyes widened in shock. It seemed that Duke had several cheerleaders, and with them was Joey dressed as a dog! To the right of them stood Tristan and Tea.

Raiden laughed. "It looks like your blond friend got himself into a tricky situation and Yugi is trying to win back his honor." He leaned back and kicked his feet onto a foot stool. "This should be good."

I exchanged a glance with Bakura. Something about this did not feel right. Duke clearly had a grudge against Yugi, but why? If I was close enough to him to read his emotions...

"Do you want to go there and cheer him on?" Bakura said.

I glanced at him in surprise. "But we're playing our game."

"We've already finished our first game, and it looks like Yugi could use you – at the very least to cheer him on. I'll take you there."

His smile was tinged with sadness, causing me to almost hesitate. Then my intuition told me what to do. "Thanks, Bakura."

"Make sure you're home for dinner!" Raiden called as the two of us dashed out the door.

A huge crowd of people surrounded the game shop, nosily chatting and cheering, They all stared at a giant TV screen, which seemed to be the live feed from Yugi and Duke's game. Bakura and I struggled to make it to the door. There was another crowd inside.

"You should go find where they're playing," Bakura said. "I'll catch up to you later."

I nodded. He seemed ill at ease amongst all the people, and I did not have time to wait for him. I followed my instincts through a suspicious looking door. Sure enough, I emerged in a large gaming room where Yugi and Duke stood opposite each other, a large playing field with hologram monsters in between them. From what I could pick up on, Yugi was in trouble.

"Poor Yugi," Duke said in a taunting tone. "Now what? You can't summon anymore monsters because there's no room left in your territory. You played well for a first timer, Yugi, I'll give you that much, but there's no way a hap like you could have beat the great Pegasus. Now I'm going to expose you as the fraud you really are!"

"What's his problem?" I said as I approached Tristan and Tea. Both appeared stunned at seeing me.

"Where'd you come from?" Tristan said incredulously.

I shrugged. "I saw the game on TV. Dungeon Dice Monsters, right?"

Tea bit her lip and nodded. "Duke invented the game. He was going to sign a contract to produce it with Pegasus, but he hasn't been seen since Yugi defeated him."

"Duke thinks Yugi cheated against Pegasus to win and that's why Pegasus is in hiding!" said Tristan.

I frowned. "None of that sounds right." I remember the last time I saw Pegasus. It had not seemed like he was stunned simply because he had lost a game. No, it probably had something to do with losing the Millennium Eye. But how could Yugi explain all of that to Duke?

"Don't write that victory speech just yet, Devlin," Yugi said. "This game's not over."

This was not just Yugi, I realized. He and Yami had merged together again. This must have been pretty serious. Tristan and Tea then explained that, yes, Joey had lost a duel, which was why he was dressed as a dog. Plus, if Yugi lost this game, he had to promise to never play Duel Monsters again.

My heart lurched when I felt Yugi and Yami's confidence sway. Were they really close to losing? I wanted to call out to them but something held me back.

"Give it up, Yugi," Duke said. "Stop wasting my time and surrender."

"No, Yugi!" Joey shouted from in the midst of three cheerleaders. "You can't surrender to that blowhard!"

"This dog just won't learn," said one of the cheerleaders.

"Bad dog!" said another.

"That's it, get the muzzle," said the last.

Joey spun around and glared at them. "Muzzle yourselves! I've got something to say here!" He turned back to Yugi while the cheerleaders huddled together in fear. "Don't let Duke rattle you, Yug. You've been in tougher situations against better duelists than this guy and you've always turned it around. You even beat Pegasus and he was as crooked as they come. You won the entire tournament at Duelist Kingdom, Yugi!"

"Even so," said Yugi, "this is different."

"Come on, this is no time to be humble, buddy. You won the championship because you were the best gamer on the island. Better than Weevil, better than Mako, even better than me and Mai. All because you believed in the heart of the cards no matter who your opponent was or how tough he seemed. Don't forget that you defeated the inventor of Duel Monsters at his own game. You can beat this joker at his. You can't let this Duke of dorks shake you. You're the King of Games, Yug! So what if dungeon dice monsters has a few new rules? If you just trust in yourself, you can still win. You taught me that, pal."

Joey's words gave me courage to find my own voice. I cupped my hands over my mouth and shouted: "He's right, Yugi! You can do it!"

I felt Yugi's surprise as he turned to look at me. "Samia?"

I smiled. "I'm with you."

I could feel Yami's gaze bore into me, stirring something inside of me. Then he nodded his head ever so slightly, giving me relief. I ignored the nagging thought that told me Bakura was right.

"We're all with you," Tea said. "You've got to keep the faith!"

"Inspiring speech, Joey," Tristan said. "No one can accuse you of rolling over and playing dead."

"You know, you're absolutely right," Yugi said. "I could never forget what made me Duel Monsters Champion in the first place: believing in the heart of the cards, and dungeon dice monsters is no different. So long as I have the same faith in my dice that I have in my dueling deck, I can still win this." He looked across the field at Duke. "So I advise you to keep an eye on your last heart point, Duke, because I'm coming after it!"

Somehow, I found the courage to stare down the opponent as well. "Whatever you think about Yugi, you're wrong. He deserved to beat Pegasus, and he'll prove it to you!"

Duke shot a glare in my direction. "I don't know who you are or where you came from, but I'll be proving _you_ wrong!"

I refused to look away first. After a long moment of silence, the guy finally shifted his gaze to Yugi. All traces of fear had left my body. Joey and the others had powered me up, and I focused on sending all of those positive emotions to Yugi.

The game resumed. I still could not grasp all of the rules, but I could tell Yugi was in trouble because he had no space on the board to summon a monster – or so everyone thought. With ingenuity, Yugi used a weird shaped space in order to summon the Dark Magician. All of us cheered in triumph.

"The Dark Magician has never failed me, Duke," Yugi said. "All I had to do was trust my dice and, sure enough, he has appeared!"

It took a little time, but Yugi eventually used the Dark Magician to destroy Duke's last heart point, which meant that he won! Duke's shock hardly touched me as I celebrated with my friends.

"Way to go, Yugi!" I called to him.

Yugi looked back at us and nodded, a smile on his face.

Suddenly, the doors to the game room burst open, and Bakura appeared, panting heavily. "Did I miss anything?"

"Only the Yugi's amazing comeback!" Joey exclaimed.

Bakura turned to him and blinked. "Why are you in a dog suit?"

Joey hurriedly started to take off the suit while the rest of us laughed.

Once my emotions settle, glanced over to where Duke still stood, head lowered in defeat. I exchanged a glanced with Yugi, and he nodded.

"Duke?" I cautiously started toward him.

His head snapped up, and he suddenly turned hostile. "What do you want?"

I hesitated. I trusted my intuition to tell me the source of his anger and continued. "I'm Samia, a friend of Yugi's. I hate the circumstances, but that was a cool game you played. You fought hard." I stood in front of him and held out my hand.

Duke stared at my hand. Then he turned away, but he had calmed considerably. "Let's go talk in my office." He looked over his shoulder. "All of us."

"Good idea," Yugi said. And so we all followed Duke out of the game room and in a secluded room. Yugi's grandfather, who had been watching from the crowd, spotted us and followed us inside.

Several comfortable brown chairs had been placed around a coffee table. We all took seats, Bakura and Joey leaning on the armrests. Duke sat facing us, his head in his hands.

"Yugi, I'm sorry I accused you of cheating," he said with remorse. "The better player won today, and it was you. You proved you really did beat Pegasus fair and square. I was such a creep today! And thanks to those TV cameras, the whole world knows it. My store is ruined! No one's gonna want to play dungeon dice monsters now."

"That's not true at all, Duke," Yugi said. "Dungeon dice monsters has the potential to become a huge hit."

"True," Mr. Motuo said. "I haven't seen a game this exciting since Duel Monsters. You've got to keep your store open."

"And it's not like Pegasus is the nicest fellow," Bakura quipped.

I nodded. "If you're remorseful, people will understand. The game looks fun enough."

"There's more than enough room for two game stores in town," Tea said. "I've got a feeling once dungeon dice monsters takes off, you'll both have all the customers you can handle."

Duke finally lifted his head to gaze at us. He was shocked and humbled by our positive response. "No way, do you really think so?" he said.

"Sure," Joey said. "Dice monsters is great. It's you I don't like."

"I'd love to learn how to play dice monsters," said Tristan.

"I can teach you," said Duke.

"Great!"

"Now that Joey's out of the dog house, maybe things will get back to normal around here," Yugi said, "which means that I can finally get back to playing Duel Monsters."

Duke looked at him with wide eyes. "That's it? How can you let me off so easy, Yugi? I was a total jerk to you and your friends."

"The game is over now. Let's just leave the fighting on the field because revenge leaves you with nothing except more bad feelings, Duke. And if you're truly sorry, the best thing to do is be friends."

I smiled. His words touched something deep inside me. My mother had warned me against my natural instincts to be too forgiving, but if it was working for Yugi, maybe I should start trusting myself more.

Duke nodded. "I am sorry. And you're offering me something better than winning."

Yugi offered him his hand with a smile on his face. "Friendship always is."

Duke slowly lifted his hand as if hesitant. Then he smiled and shook his hand. The rest of us exchanged happy glances. All's well that ends well.

Beeping emitted from the computer on the table, catching Tristan's attention: "Hey, Duke, it sounds like you've got a new email."

"Anything good?" Joey said as Duke took control of the computer.

Duke's joy nearly leapt out of his body, startling me. "Whoa, Industrial Illusions did send a contract after all, and they want to take dungeon dice monsters global!"

"Congratulations, Duke," Yugi said. "That's great."

"Thank you so much, Yugi. I really couldn't have done it without you setting me straight."

"You invented a great game."

"But you made me see it was missing something: that a game's not just about mastering the rules but about getting to know your opponent."

"Right. It's not all about rules and how to win. It's about having fun and meeting and making new friends."

"Playing games with friends is the best," Bakura said.

I smiled and nodded. Looking around at everyone, I realized I may have been making this whole friendship thing harder than it needed to be. It seemed a little kindness and understanding went a long way. Now we were all together where we belonged. Nothing would tear us apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it for Season 1! Thank you for reading!


End file.
